The Only Secret Robin Ever Kept From Batman
by IceyCold97
Summary: Robin has a huge secret: he has a sister. Cee has an eighth of the Light after her, and when the JL thinks she's the enemy well it's not good to be her brother. Robin's fragile balancing act is about to fall apart.   Bad start but it gets much better.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello readers of this story! This is my first story that I have the guts to publish so please no flames (they hurt me ). This might have more chapters if peeps like it, so please if it's good R&R cause review make my write more stuff faster. Story is mostly 'bout Robin/Dick Grayson and his sister (my OC) Sparrow/Serenity Grayson. Hope you guys/gals enjoy.**

**Robin and all other Young Justice and Justice League characters belong to DC Comics and other respectful owners. Serenity Grayson is mine though.**

The scared 12 year old finished her packing with a nervous sigh, dressed in her sturdiest clothes and carrying only what she needed in her hiking pack Serenity prepared to run away from home. The reasons completely differed from the norm for Serenity, she loved her home and her family, all of them even those that exceeded her bloodline because she was in the circus. There were no problems with her parents; no recent fights of any importance, her parents and her little brother would forever be perfect in Serenity's memory. No the reason Serenity was leaving was because she wasn't human or at least not normal enough of a human, even for Haley's circus. As a trapeze artist Serenity was sure she could make it on her own and that she needed to leave because if she didn't her new 'powers' would end up hurting one of her family members and she wouldn't let that happen.

"Sparrow where are you going? It's so late, and its dark," the voice that could only belong to her seven year old brother and the nickname that only Richard used cut trough Serenity's heart and resolve like a knife. She nearly took Rick into her arms and started sobbing, but she stopped herself, she had to. It was because of Richard that that she had to leave, to keep him safe mattered above all else.

"Robin look at me," Serenity used Rick's nickname in turn, the name she had given him on his first performance, "I have to leave and I know that you don't want me to, but for reasons I can't yet tell you I have to go. All right?"

"No," those huge sapphire eyes stared me down and made it even more painful to fight back the tears, "it's not all right that you're doing this. But I do understand, and you have to promise you'll come back."

"Rob I promise when I deal with this I'll come back and you won't be able to get rid of me."

"Then go, I'll cover for you."

"Thanks Rick," I knew I had to make this quick, the pain was starting to seep into my voice, "give this to mom and dad okay?" I said handing him the letter I had written and ruffling his sable locks.

"Come back soon," Rick said as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I'll try," I said slipping out of the embrace reluctantly and into the cold of the night. Unknown to me, that letter was the final goodbye I would ever be able to give my parents, because two years later they would fall from the trapeze and Dick would be the only biological family I had.

**I hoped you liked it. Any and all advice/ideas will be taken into consideration. Oh, also when I came up with the title all I could think of is "that sounds like the title for a KF/Robin story," if you guys think I should write one tell me. Again please no flames and please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**TOSREKFB Chapter 2**

**Hi I hope you like this new chapter I'm planning on working on the third chapter tomorrow. Because the writing plague has been released in my dorkdom and I have been infected. As always the DC characters don't belong to me, cause if they did I would have had the new episode up running by now. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Please enjoy.**

Robin was in a hurry. He had been in a hurry all day, and Wally was getting a kick out of it. Wally playfully poked his best friend for the millionth time that hour, snickering when he saw the bird-glare Robin threw at him telling KF clearly to stop or Wally would get hurt. The team was in Megan's bioship returning to Mount Justice after the small 'covert' mission had gone wrong and the mission time had doubled in length. And now Robin was really in a hurry because he was late.

"Dude, chill will you. You're more hyper than I am," Wally said to Robin noticing his leg bounce from the extra adrenaline that was still in the thirteen year old's system.

Robin just sighed and stopped moving his leg. After starring at the moon for a good three minutes he turned and asked Megan, "Can this thing go any faster?"

The stunned silence that followed had Aqualad shifting in his seat with the uncomfortable atmosphere; Robin had never been anything but appreciative of the bioship so his insult and tone shocked the whole team.

"Uh, yeah. Hello Megan, I should have realized that we needed to be back at Mount Justice quickly so we can… uh… give a report of the mission," her tone slipped in to that of uncertainty at the end trying to give an explanation to Robin's impatience but not being able to think quite fast enough on her green feet.

"Wait, wait, wait since when do you want to get back to the bat-glare faster, or is the widdle birdie just tired?" KF couldn't help but throw in the insult to Robin's age at the end of his sentence as the bioship sped up.

Robin just kept glaring at the moon and ignoring KF after he thanked Megan for speeding up the bioship, "Come on Boy Wonder why are you in such a hurry?" KF said after realizing that Robin was ignoring him, poking said Boy Wonder at the same time he spoke.

"Because it's the full moon all right?" Robin said turning and yelling at Kid Flash. Robin's cheeks dusted with pink when he recognized that he had let a sliver of his secret fly.

"And that's important because… you're a werewolf?" KF joked as the less oblivious members of the team glared at him for bugging Robin after he became so uncomfortable (the less oblivious members being everyone but KF).

Robin's blush increased as he tried to cover up his slip, "Look I have a report due tomorrow that's about the lunar cycle and I haven't had any time to start on it 'kay?"

"Yeah, as Batman's protégé I would have thought that you could come up with a better lie," Wally started to snicker at the youngest member of the team.

"Shut it Baywatch," Artemis said slapping Wally upside his head just as they pulled into the hanger of Mount Justice.

Robin launched himself out of his chair and flew down the hall at a speed that impressed Kid Flash greatly. He didn't stop until he pasted the Zeeta beam transporter, the Batcave, and the grandfather clock that reminded Robin once again that he was late.

_I feel the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, the one who keeps saying he's late; I guess I know how he feels now._ I was back to Richard Grayson the billionaire's ward as I took off my mask heart thumping and breath racing from my run. I saw Alfred enter the room and his slight shock at my appearance, and then the shock turned to a soft smile; Alfred is the only person that knows all my family secrets and I was glad for that.

"Master Dick she's upstairs, but I suggest that after you say hello that you change back in to your civilian clothes; it would be rather hard to explain why half the Dynamic Duo is running around Wayne manor," Alfred said pacifying my fear that she left before giving me the advice I needed.

"Thanks Alf, I'll change as soon as I say hi I promise," I said flying up the stairs and hoping desperately that she was still here even though I was half an hour late.

I slammed the door of my bedroom open, urgently getting air to my lungs that were empty after my short bursts.

"Did you think I was gonna leave?" Serenity looked up from her seat on the edge of my bed and smiled, "How was the mission?"

**Yes the big sister is back, I'm gonna explain the relationship between her and Rob in the next chapter. Please no flames, but if you review the writing plague will spread faster. If there are any mistakes please tell me and I won't have them in the next chapter(hopefully). If you have any idea for my story I would love to hear them and hopefully write them. If peeps ask I'll write the slash fic that the title implies, cause writing is my drug. Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**TOSREKFB Chapter 3**

**Hello peeps I have chapter 3, yay! It kind of short but I hope you like it. I was really nervous about posting this but I'm happy that so many of you added it to favorite/follow special thanks to bluechibi, moiraixthanatoio, SilencetheStorm, teobaldi, and darkeangel15 for being the first few peeps to follow/favorite this story and I want to thank** **Just Another Fanfiction Geek for giving me my first comment. I do not own the DC characters.**

"Did you think I was gonna leave?" Serenity looked up from her seat on the edge of my bed and smiled, "How was the mission?"

"I was a little worried," I told my sister as I flung myself in to her waiting arms letting a soft giggle escape as I settled into her embrace.

"Yeah, you were only a little worried, that's why you ran all the way here," Serenity joked letting her own giggle echo mine, "so are you going to tell me why you were late?"

"Sure, just let me get out of the Robin costume," I said as I flipped over her knowing she could support the weight and springing off the bed flipping a summersault in the air only landing a few feet away from the closest. I took off my cape to the sound of Cee's laughter at my acrobatics, "Speaking of changing, I like your new look," I told her changing as quickly as I possible could.

"Thanks kiddo, I like it too," she said just as I came back to the bed pulling on the shirt of my civvies, fingering the edge of her sleeve.

Serenity was the prettiest girl you would ever meet, at least in my opinion. Her skin was a creamed-white pearl and she had hair darker black than a ravens wing; but her eyes were her redeeming feature, they were two beautiful pools of liquid silver. It really bugged me when I saw people hitting on her, and although she looked good I new her new costume would attract more people to hit on her. I shuttered at the thought of Wally hitting on her, but considering that he had hit on Black Canary I wouldn't out it past him to hit on a girl that was three years older than he was.

"Are you going to tell me what kept you, or keep staring off into space?" Cee asked me.

"Hum… oh yeah sorry I was thinking about what kept me actually," I snuggled into my sister's side happy with the warmth she provided.

"Let me guess, it was Wally wasn't it?" the soft smirk that always appeared on Cee's lips when she talked about my best friend was obvious in her voice.

"Is it ever anyone else?" I laughed and began telling her the details of the mission until I was almost asleep and she kissed me lightly on the forehead before she disappeared out the window. I knew she would be back when I needed her and I fell into a peaceful sleep that only seamed to truly come after Cee had visited.

**Ok this might not be my best but it was a filler more than anything I need some ideas for the next chapter so could I please have some? No flames.**


	4. Chapter 4

**TOSREKFB Chapter 4**

**The fourth chapter is here. I hope that it whelms you.**

**I don't own the DC characters**

Superboy was trapped, in handcuffs, in a small lead-padded room, with kryptonite tied around his neck; if Megan saw this she would probably die of worry-induced seizure. Superboy would be trying to escape if he could, but with the amount of kryptonite that was next to him he could barely move his head to look up at the lead door as it opened. The shadow of the thug who had knocked him out with the large block of kryptonite stood in the doorway for a moment making sure Superboy couldn't move before tossing another figure into the cell-like room. The petite female figure was only sixteen by size, barely the same height of Megan and extremely thin, much like Robin was.

The black haired pixie was wearing a long sleeved black gypsy top with dark purple accents on the edges of the top, a pair of purple tights the same shade as the purple on her top, a long black skirt that reached her feet but was open in the front so you could see her tight-covered legs, black knee-high boots, and a purple belt that had the small ridges on it that indicated that the belt hid many small gadgets. She was pretty for a human, but Superboy preferred girls with green skin. Pretty as she was, Superboy was worried about the stains of red blood that stained the girl's body and clothes; not to mention the silver handcuffs that looked like they were cutting into the girl's porcelain skin.

I looked over at the muscle-bound boy, the 'S' symbol on his chest and blue eyes dulled by the kryptonite confirmed my suspicions that the boy next to me was Superboy, he looked exactly like Rick had described him. He looked really bad, the kryptonite cast a sickly glow on his skin, and his eyes slipped into a duller shad with every passing second. Looking down I began to pick the novice lock on the handcuffs, almost smiling as I did because the idiots that threw me in here didn't bother to take the bobby-pin away from me. I did allow a small smirk when I managed to pick the lock in a manner of seconds.

I move over to Superboy and work on his handcuffs picking the lock faster than I did with the first pair. Kicking the kryptonite to the corner of the room I move to the door and begin to pick the lock on the door, _how did thugs with such little intelligence get their hands on kryptonite? _I wonder as the soft click of unlocking rings. Moving over to Superboy I throw one of his arms around my shoulder and help him to the door.

"I'm going to guess that you're a Kryptonian. It's whel-great to meet you I'm Alice," I curse at myself in my head for almost saying 'it's whelming to meet you' and for almost telling him I was 'Sparrow' but that wouldn't have been good for the 'I don't have anything to do with Robin' façade.

**OK I'm now dead tired. I'll update soon as I get inspired (comments help with inspiration *whisper whisper*).**


	5. Chapter 5

**TOSREKFB Chapter 5**

**Hello I got bored with the storyline this chapter was going to be so instead you get this. Sorry if Roy's a little OOCish I try. Warnings: contains blood and mildish cussing**

**As much as I want to I don't own the DC characters**

I'm barely to the door when I see the blood. I hate myself for missing the most obvious piece of kryptonite, the one pierced through Superboy's left arm.

"Oh God," for a moment I can only stare at the Kryptonian's blood slowly seeping around the glowing rock and through his shirt, but I'm snapped out of my daze when I hear the sound of a struggle outside the door.

I whip my head to the door when I hear the sound of groaning hinges. Luckily the door is pulled out from its frame into the larger room instead of being pushed into the small cell and crushing both Superboy and me.

"Help me," I said when I saw Roy's face through the now empty doorframe, gently setting Superboy back down when Roy moved into the cell to help me with Superboy's wound.

"Cee, what the hell happened? I need an explanation to why the both of you are covered in blood," Roy almost-yelled at me crouching down next to Superboy as I finally got the teen to the ground.

"I came to help him," I said pointing to Superboy, "punched one of the idiots in the nose, got his blood on me from the impact then I got tossed in here with the Kryptonian, threw the kryptonite to the other side of the room but didn't see the piece in his arm until I picked him up; now will you please help me with the bleeding?" I answered Roy sucking much needed air to my lungs because I hadn't stopped at any time during my rant to breathe.

The fourth of the extremely few people that knew I was Dick's sister looked at me for a moment behind his domino mask before he firmly placed his hands on the shard of kryptonite and sharply pulled the rock out of Superboy's shoulder. When the kryptonite was out of Superboy's shoulder I took off my half-skirt-thing and handed it to Roy so he could use it to apply pressure to the punctured skin. Reaching to the right side of my hip I quickly found the needle and surgical thread I needed to close Superboy's wound. I took Roy's place next to Superboy and carefully removed the cloth so I could begin to sew the cut closed.

"Aqualad, its Red Arrow I have Superboy and he's been cut with kryptonite I need you and the team to take him back to base so you can give him to med-bay," Roy spoke into his comlink and listened to Aqualad's response that was inaudible to me, "good get here as soon as you can, and I need to speak with Robin, privately," another silence as he listened to the reply.

"Rob, Cee's here so-" he was cut off by Dick's response, "look I didn't ask her to come she was here before I was," I almost glared at him but I deiced that the present task of sewing flesh back together was a more pressing matter. "We can just tell the team she's an old meta-human friend that helped out on this mission because she was in the area." I finished the stitching at roughly the same time that Roy finished his sentence; ripping the bloodless parts of my skirt into strips I rapped them around Superboy's arm making a clean bandage around the cut that had finally stopped bleeding.

"Or I could just leave," I said preparing to do just that until I thought about how difficult it would be for Roy to carry Superboy outside, "after I help you get Superboy outside."

Roy nodded as we both helped the near-unconscious boy to door of the warehouse. Surprisingly the cell was only a few yards away from the door, for the second time that night I contemplated the intelligence of my no-longer-jailer. I was about to tell Roy that he needed to take Superboy when both the both of us were frozen with the scene that greeted us out side the warehouse door.

"Crap," I really didn't know what else to say to the fact that the entire Justice League was in front of me, and I wasn't supposed to exist.

**OMG its 2am people I think I might be an insomniac, then again given that I can barely think straight and have a killer headache maybe I'm not. Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**TOSREKFB Chapter 6**

**Hello well its past midnight and I'm very glad its summer and I can sleep as long as I want 'cause otherwise I'd be a zombie, alright on with the story.**

"Well then," Serenity turned to face Roy, given that she legally doesn't exist she figured it would be best to leave, "bye."

Before Flash could even blink Serenity disappeared into thin air. Roy stumbled a bit suddenly carrying all of Superboy's weight, whispering a small curse in Navajo he shifted his weight to his left leg in order to remain upright. Green Arrow went to support Superboy's other side just as Megan's bioship came in to view above the warehouse.

The Martian hurriedly landed the ship and ran to Superboy, shock and concern crossing her face when she saw he was unconscious. Given the strength of Kryptonians seeing one out cold is a shock to anyone. Megan looked around at the members of the Justice League confusion slowly replacing the worry on her face. Turning to her uncle she asks, "Uncle J'onn what's going on?"

"M'gann we are sorry to interrupt your team's mission but there seems to be a person of League priority involved," Martian Manhunter said answering his niece.

Aqualad then exited the bioship immediately going to help Green Arrow and Red Arrow, muttering an inaudible "déjà vu" as he saw the half-circle of older heroes. Kid Flash, Robin, and Artemis followed their leader in exiting the bioship soon after. Robin, who apparently has superhearing, turned to his mentor and asked, "If this was a League priority then why did you send us here first?"

"Because the League priority only came into play after you began you're mission," the Caped Crusader coolly replied.

"Um… are we going to give the League priority a name or…?" Wally asked fed up with the fact that the team of younger heroes had no idea what interrupted their mission.

"First let's get back to the base," Flash said under the full intent to tell his partner what the League was worried about.

Both Justice teams prepared to depart when-

_Slam _

-Serenity is thrown against the side of the warehouse from a distance of at least thirty feet.

**Hehehehe wahhahhahwah I'm evil aren't I. ;) Well then you just have to wait and find out why Serenity has been thrown against the side of a warehouse.*whisper It has to do with her homicidal ex whisper*. Also if you got thrown against a metal wall from thirty feet you would be dead, but (and I kinda stole this from Soul Eater (that show is really funny u peeps should watch it)) when she powers up her blood turns black and its really hard so she's doesn't get killed when she gets thrown against a wall like that. Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**TOSREKFB Chapter 7**

**Hello did you think I died? No, well then did you miss me? Wahaa, you didn't ): Oh well I'm back anyway so here's chapter 7 sorry it took so long, but I lost all inspiration, IDK why really ;). Ah I don't own the DC characters.**

"Oh look, stars," I said in my usual offhanded manner. I blinked twice behind the tinted domino mask over my eyes processing the effect of the concussion I got as a result of hitting my head on the side of the warehouse. Briefly I register the shock written on the faces on the meta-humans around me, but I was more concerned with where Alex was; instinct telling me that he was near and not finished with the fight that had started between us.

My eyes flicked upwards toward the movement of a human figure in corner of my still slightly blurred vision, catching Dick's stoic face as I did. I knew he actually cared but he was smart enough not to show it. Luckily the figure was Roy running out of a strange-looking red and black aircraft and not Alex. Now that I thought about the situation Alex was smart enough to know that trying to kill me with the entire Justice League here was a bad idea, I really should give more credit to my homicidal ex. I snapped of my distracting train of thought when Roy kneeled down next to me and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Oh I'm just peachy, thanks," I said sarcasm dripping off my every word.

"That bad huh?" Roy said knowing I've had worse as he helped my feet.

"Spee- I mean Red Arrow are you going to introduce us to your friend?" a kid a presumed to be Wally asked, he fit the description Rick had given me of Kid Flash.

"Yeah, this is Cee an old friend," Roy said glaring slightly at Wally for almost calling him Speedy.

"Thanks Speedy," I said giving Roy one of my I'm-pissing-you-off-because-we're-friends-and-its-fun grins countering his glare, "Now I should be going," I said turning to leave.

"Oh no, I know you have a concussion and I'm sure you're hiding other injuries as well," Roy said grabbing my arm as I tried to turn away. It was times like this that I hated my mask, because if Roy could see the full death-glare I was housing under the mask he would have dropped my arm in a second.

"Yes if you're injured we could help you back at Mount Justice," a red-headed green skinned girl said sweetly, the green skin marked her as Megan. A collective glare from the Justice League had Megan shrinking back into her teammates.

"Green Arrow," Roy said directing the attention away from Megan, "she already knows my ID and I trust her with my life, so she won't betray any secrets. Hopefully."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, and I'm fine so I _will _be leaving now," I said slipping my arm out of Roy's grasp, I slipped around the side of the warehouse and let my powers take over, disappearing from the ally and reappearing at one of my apartments I had purchased under an alias.

Roy stared at the corner where Serenity had slipped around knowing that if he tried to follow the pixie, on the offhand chance that she hadn't already disappeared, she would be mad at him for following her and then she would just disappear.

"Aqualad you will give a full report after Superboy is taken care of along with the rest of you," the Dark Knight said stoically as the other member of the Justice League started to depart. After he finished giving the command he turned to leave, trusting the younger heroes to do the same.

All members of Young Justice began to board Megan's bioship, save one Robin. He told the others to leave without him as he walked toward Roy. Even with the mask you could see the boy glaring, and being trained by the Batman Robin's glares were F***ing scary. It also looked like the boy was grinding his teeth.

"We need to talk," the boy said near-growling. Roy sighed this was gonna take awhile.

**Hahahahha finally I got off my lazy butt and finished the chapter, please review and point out any mistakes. **


	8. Chapter 8

**TOSREKFB Chapter 8**

**Hello readers. I have the eighth chapter and due to SakuraTenshi36092 review this chapter is longer. According to my Microsoft Word document the story is 2,579 words. Enjoy. Flashbacks are in italics. I don't own the DC characters. Also this was done over a period of days but all the time was spent around midnight so if there are any mistakes I apologize and would love for them to be pointed out so that I may fix them. Ok I'll stop talking.**

After a half-hour of yelling, augments, and mild cursing it looked like the bird had finally decided to forgive me for his sister randomly showing up; which was in no way my fault, but I knew better than to strike up another argument when it looked like I was finally going to be able to leave. Robin looked down at the ground fidgeting nervously with his glove, a bipolar change to his previous attitude. Flicking his eyes up to me for a minute Robin bit his lip as if hesitant as to what he wanted to say.

"I… I just don't like the idea of anybody else knowing her and figuring out who she is 'cause then they-" Robin stopped himself abruptly before continuing, "I know it's not your fault she was here but I needed someone to blame, thanks Red Arrow."

I smiled at the boy. He, in a figurative sense, was my little brother and as much as I wanted I couldn't stay mad at him. I ruffled his hair gently knowing he had issues with loss, was possessive of his sister, he got twitchy whenever someone tried to get to know her, and was absolutely murderous when someone tried to hit on her. I learned that the hard way.

_I was bored, sitting on the blank rooftop waiting for a criminal to try to rob the building I was sitting on with the Boy Wonder. Both Green Arrow and Batman were on the other side of the Opal City dealing with a 'League Threat' so Robin and I were stuck here babysitting a science lab that some idiot had built on the edge of a cliff. At 16 I was getting tired of missing the actual crime and dealing instead with minor threats like this. Looking over at the 11 year old next to me I could tell that he too was bored._

"_You wanna run a perimeter sweep as an excuse to move around?" I asked the raven hair. A bright laugh as the boy launched himself over the railing of the building secured by a grappling hook was the only reply I got. "I'll take that as a yes," I shouted after the boy following in a similar fashion by using one of my grappling arrows._

_Robin looked like he was going to turn the sweep into a race and I was more than ready for one. A loud explosion coming from inside the labs interrupted the idea, and both Robin and I were instead running for the entrance of Opal Labs. I reached behind me and grabbed an arrow ready for anything as I pushed open the door to the lab._

_A boy that couldn't be any older than I was stood in the middle of the spacious room; said room was circular and seamed to serve the purpose of being an entrance to the numerous hallways that the lab housed. The boy that stood in the middle of the room had silver hair (it actually looked like each strand was crafted from the metal), pure-black-soulless eyes, and was bare-chested exposing the bright-silver tattoos that curved over his entire body and face. He looked at Robin and me his hands clasped behind his back and a bored expression on his face; his eyes narrowed after he looked at Robin for a minute and his bored expression turned to a taunting smirk._

"_Well you've certainly grown," the boy said to Robin. The only reason I hadn't attacked him was because I wasn't sure that he was the criminal we were looking for or of he was on our side._

"_Alex Haly?" Robin said sock and disbelief ringing off his every word and reflecting in his posture. Now I was thoroughly confused as to which side this guy was on, I didn't relax the bowstring I had pointed at Alex just in case._

_The corridor directly behind Alex had a door, key word is had, a loud blast took the door away from its hinges; Alex didn't even flinch even when the door nearly hit his shoulder, instead he turned to the henchmen pushing a silver cart filled with vials that each contained a red liquid. The henchmen each had bleached white hair and a silver belt, and the leader looked like the only intelligent one all the others were just muscle. _

"_Luke is this all of it?" Alex asked coolly._

"_Yes boss," the henchmen's leader replied. 'Boss' was a good enough indication of criminal activity for me so I released the arrow watching it fly with a perfect accuracy._

_Alex's head whipped around at the sound of the releasing bow string making it look like the arrow was going to hit him square in the face, but at the last second Alex's hand was around the arrow stopping it in midair before it could hit him. The taunting smirk was back on his face as he flexed snapping my metal arrow in half. Exactly what kind of meta-human was this guy?_

"_Now we'll be leaving, but before we go," Alex turned his head toward me, "killing you will certainly upset her of the perfect amount."_

_Alex snapped his fingers and I felt myself being lifted off the ground and after a few seconds I was against the ceiling about thirty feet off the ground. What idiot built this place? I'm ten feet away from the rafters or anything I can grab a hold of, and Robin's trying to find out a way to get me down._

"_Goodbye archer," Alex said disappearing into thin air at the same time I feel gravity once again take effect. _This was gonna hurt_, I thought as I fell I angling my body so that at least my feet would hit first._

_A resounding smack echoed around the room as I was caught by my forearms. I looked up to see two black-silk-gloved hands encircling my own yellow-gloved hands. The owner of those arms was a short-black-haired girl around my age that had her legs wrapped around one of the support beams. Her silver eyes looked into my covered ones and she gave me a soft smile._

"_Do me a favor and keep still…ish," the girl said, "Robin wanna give me a hand?" _

_Robin looked up at the girl shock plainly written on his face. After a second Robin got over his shock and shot one of his grappling hooks to the rafter. When Robin reached us he took out another grappling hook and put it within my grasp; I let go of one of the girl's hands and took the device shooting it near Robin's. I reached the beam shortly after Robin did pulling my self up so I was on top of the beam I got a good look at the girl. She was dressed in a black leotard with black tights and a purple ballet skirt._

_The girl pulled herself up without using her arms, sliding into a standing position with an unbelievable grace. The soft smile was still on her lips but this time it seemed almost apologetic and she was looking behind me at Robin._

"_Stiu că eşti probabil supăr-(I know you're probably upse-)" the girl started to say in a foreign tongue._

"_De ce eşti aici? Nu ştii ce s-ar întâmpla dacă Batman a fost aici?(_Why_ are you here? Do you know what would happen if Batman was here?)"Robin cut her off in the same language but a harsher tongue._

"_Robin she just saved my life you might want to stop yelling at her," I said trying to break up the soon-to-be fight._

"_Nu sunteţi o parte din această!(You are not a part of this!)" Robin screeched at me._

"_It would have a little more effect of I knew what the hell you were saying," I shouted back venom dripping off my every syllable._

"_Robin I'm really sorry, but please don't blame your friend," the girl said putting her hand on my shoulder. I was slightly shocked looking at her height, she was a pixie._

"_Thanks gorgeous," I said giving the girl one of my best smiles. She was short but she was hot, extremely hot._

"_Don't you dare hit on her!" Robin yelled madder than he had been all night._

_The girl covered her mouth with both hands muffling, but in no way silencing, her laughter. It sounded like Robin's taunting cackle but it was softer and had the ring of pure humor to it replacing the taunting sound. The laughter died and the girl took a breath before she spoke_

"_It might be best to continue this on the ground, but no flirting 'kay?" the girl said gesturing to the slim rafter underfoot. Robin nodded grappling down to the floor stopping a few feet above the floor so he could flip onto the ground. I took one of my grappling arrows out of my quiver and shoot it at the beam parallel to the one I was standing on, but I noticed something right before I was going to grapple down to the floor: the girl the saved me didn't have a way down. _

_I walked over to the girl and wrapped my arm around her waist before I jumped gently off the beam. When I touched the floor Robin looked like he was going to murder me. The only thing I couldn't figure out was why he was so mad. The raven-haired pixie slipped out of my arm, which I hadn't noticed was still around her, and walked over to Robin._

"_Chiar îmi pare rău că nu a fost de planificare pe vine, dar băiatul a fost cineva mai devreme am fost încercarea de a prinde. Să mă ierţi?(_ _I really am sorry I wasn't planning on coming but the boy earlier was someone I was trying to catch. Forgive me?)" the girl said pleadingly._

_Robin starred at the girl for a minute and it looked like he was either going to yell or walk away, but he stunned me when he suddenly hugged the taller girl. And though I would never admit it Robin looked adorable hugging her, it was the first time I'd ever seen him look innocent._

"_Putem spune Speedy dar nimeni altcineva nu poate şti despre tine. Cred că merită să ştiu Speedy după toate astea. De asemenea, acest fel, atunci când ei doar noi doi s-ar putea fi în măsură să ne ajute!(_ _We can tell Speedy but no one else can know about you. I think that Speedy deserves to know avter all this. Also this way when it's just the two of us you might be able to help us!)" Robin said without letting go of the older girl._

_Robin let go of the girl's arm and turned towards me. He looked at me like he was debating whether to tell me something or kill me. _

"_Roy I know you're identity and you know mine," besides for the fact that he had just announced my secret identity to some random girl everything was sounding right; Wally, Dick, and I had become good friends after we met a year ago and after a while the Boy Wonder had told us his secret ID, "and you also know that I can take down men twice my size. So should you betray this secret I will make sure you regret it for the rest of you life. Now, Roy Harper meet Serenity Grayson my older sister."_

Ah memories, still smiling I took my hand out of Dick's hair, "no problem kid."

Robin cocked an eyebrow at me clearly not amused. I looked at Rob one last time before I started walking back to the street, glad that this little fiasco had happened near my apartment because I was ready to flop on my bed and sleep till noon. Pulling out the different trick arrows I would need to get back to my apartment I headed in the direction of home.

Slipping through the window I pulled off my mask and shirt on my way to the bedroom. I was frozen in the door with the site that greeted me when I opened the door to my small room; Serenity was sitting on the edge of my bed wearing nothing but her underwear. I was relatively sure that the sound of my jaw hitting the floor was audible.

After I processed that she was there wearing what she was I noticed the tweezers in her left hand that were slowly pulling out pieces of glass from her right arm which was covered in blood. Looking her over I saw that the reason Cee's clothes were gone was because she was covered in small cuts and bruises the worst of which was her arm that looked like it had been thrown though a broken window, and know Cee that could have more than likely happened. I moved over to the bed seeing the surgical gauze and thread that was neatly tucked behind Serenity ready to be used as soon as all the glass was out.

"You want some help?" I asked softly as to not startle her. I was mostly sure that my offer would be an empty one. Cee was extremely touchy about her injuries; on the rare chance that she admitted she had them Serenity wouldn't let anyone else fix her injuries.

"Sure, I'm right handed and I couldn't hold the tweezers still with my left," Cee replied as she held out the tweezers.

"Are you serious?" I questioned as I took the tweezers more shocked than I had been when I found her half-naked in my room.

"I trust you," she said a slight chuckle to her words.

After another ten minutes I had triple checked the wound and made sure that there were no shards of glass left in her arm. I reached behind Cee to get the thread and needle for the stitching. But I couldn't find the anesthesia that went along with it.

"Cee, where's the anesthesia?" I asked her, knowing what her answer would be.

"Roy you know I hate drugs," Serenity said turning her head to look at me.

"Yeah, yeah I know," I said feeling guilty as I started to stitch her arm. It took fifteen minutes but she had a gauze wrapped clean wound in the end. I softly laughed at the clothing situation. "You do realize that we're both half-naked?"

"Yes I do, but I had the tact not to stare open mouthed for three minutes at the fact. And like I said I trust you so I'm not too awkward with the situation."

"You…you saw? Wow this is embarrassing."

Her light as air giggle echoed throughout the room, she shook her head softly. "Roy there is an upside to this."

"And that would be?"

"You get to test out how your couch works as a bed," the mock excitement in her voice made me want to tackle her, and I would have if I hadn't been worried about hurting her newly bandaged arm.

"You're crashing here?"

"Just for tonight."

"Goodnight then," I said picking up the medical supplies from the bed before giving the girl a soft kiss on her temple. I still thought that Cee was hot, but she was my sister in all ways but blood and that's all our relationship was. Also given that the Boy Wonder would kill me painfully and slowly helped me think of Cee in a sisterly way only.

**OMG I've been writing this for hours and its 2 F-ing AM. I'm going to regret staying up this late in the morning. Hope you enjoyed please review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Blame writer's/typer's block for the wait. And other personal stuff that not really important.**

_6 AM. Why the hell did I set the stupid alarm for 6 AM?_ Ithought to myself reaching over to turn off the blaring clock, only to slip and fall onto the hardwood floor. _What the..?_ I thought as the cold of the floor started to seep into my bare-chested form. _Oh right. Cee spent the night and she took the bed, but then where is the stupid alarm coming from? _

"Hey sleepy, sorry for the beeping but your coffee maker really doesn't like me," Serenity said leaning her top half over the edge of couch. Would it kill the girl to wear clothes?

"You're still half-naked," I said still sluggish from only waking up a moment ago and only managing to point out the obvious.

The soft giggle that sounded like her brother's left Cee's lips before she responded, "Yep I couldn't find the clothes I left here the last time I stole your couch."

I pushed myself off the varnished wood into a standing position so I could turn off the coffee maker, the beeping was really grating my nerves. I hate machinery, especially small kitchen appliances; the little scraps of metal and I really don't get along. After looking it over for a minute I just gave up and pulled the plug of the coffee maker earning a round of giggles from my female guest.

"You just wanted to see me get mad at the coffee maker didn't you?" I asked knowing the answer. Cee was good with mechanics and had never had a problem with my coffee maker before.

"No, honestly, you got a new brand and it really didn't like me and I really couldn't figure it out," Cee said looking mildly honest, even with the sunglasses she had on. One thing that should have already been said but wasn't, is that Cee is photosensitive or she's a photophobic; in Serenity's case if her eyes are exposed to a sizeable amount of sunlight she gets a migraine. So Cee always wears shades when there's too much light for her to handle, even her superhero mask is tinted.

"Uh… Yeah I kinda had to get a new one my ex threw my old one at me when she was storming out of here," I said as I took the pot of coffee out and put it on the table.

"What happened?" Cee said looking concerned.

"You did. She found your extra clothes in the closet and… yeah," I said really not wanting to talk about Stacey.

"I'm really sorry Roy. I can stop leaving my clothes here if you want."

"Nah, I hid them in the back of the closet. And my last three girlfriends weren't really that important."

"Alright," a taunting smirk graced her lips, "quick question though; did they dump you because they thought you were a two-timer or because they thought you were a cross-dresser?"

"You. Get out," I said a fake seriousness in my voice.

"I wonder what's the female version of Roy? Roxana, Rosemary, oh how about Rocky?"

"You are so dead," I screamed at her launching my body over the counter so I could try to grab the girl, playfully of course. A round of giggles left Cee's lips and she slipped under my approaching arm, expecting this I whipped around so I could grab her around the waist successfully trapping her arms as well.

"Roy!" I whipped my head towards the sound and was facing the door to see it open with one very angry Robin standing in the frame. Realizing that Cee was still half naked and I was still shirtless I could imagine what this looked like. I quickly let go of the girl, who happened to be perfectly calm with the current situation.

_Crack _

Serenity had her arms around her brother holding him back while speaking rushed lines of gibberish. I started to rub my jaw, for a thirteen year old the kid had quite a punch. It wasn't broken but it was going to have a nasty bruise tomorrow.

Dick calmeaza-te! Nu crezi că exagerezi? Acest fapt nu este ceea ce pare! (Dick calm down! Don't you think you're overreacting? This really isn't what it looks like!)" the gibberish was pleading and a little angry.

"What the hell kid?" I said glaring at the smaller of the two brunettes in front of me.

"What exactly did I interrupt?" Dick fumed completely bypassing the glare.

"We weren't having sex if that's what you were implying," I reply bluntly. Neither of the brunettes were particularly comfortable with the direction of the conversation judging by the twin blushes on their faces.

"Then why are-"

"Dick please I was just staying the night and Roy and I were just wrestling nothing more I promise," Serenity said interrupting Dick tightening her arm softly around him.

"O…okay… but… then… sorry," the kid's last word was barely audible but I did hear it.

"Its fine kid," I reply as I get off the floor, "we both know I've had worse."

"I should probably go get some clothes on," Cee said as she took her arms away from her bother.

"Gee, you think?" Robin and I echoed at the same time.

Cee just muttered a laugh under her breath as she walked towards my bedroom.

"Roy I really am sor-"

"Dick its fine really, your freaky possessive of your _older _sister we already established this fact. You tried to kill me the last time I flirted with her so why would I sleep with her?" I questioned the bird.

"Good point," Dick replied bluntly, Batman may have trained him too well.

"You staying for breakfast kiddo?" Cee called from the bedroom.

"As long as Roy's not cooking," Dick called back to her flashing a taunting smirk at me as he did.

"Oh ha ha go ahead and mock my cooking skills, but be warned that I will bring up the short pants in every conversation and I'll tell Bruce about the time you got into a strip club—as one of the dancers," the blush on Dick cheeks made him look like someone had dumped a bucket of red paint on him.

"I… uh I… um…" Dick stuttered, enforcing the point of his blush, "you were there too."

"Yeah but I was the bouncer, and I was seventeen; you on the other hand were twelve and you were also cross-dressing in Tokyo in front of the ambassador, while going against Batman's orders to not get involved with the mission."

"He's got you pinned there bro," Serenity said as she entered the room dressed in her usual civvies; faded blue half-bell bottoms, a sleeveless red top, a black coat unzipped, and black sunglasses.

"Hey I forgot to ask how's the arm?" I ask the onyx hair.

"Just fine thanks accelerated healing and all that," Cee replied as she made her way to the fridge.

"Your arm?" Rob said looking at his sister obviously confused.

"Yeah I scrapped it up a little last night, but its all good now not even a scar," Cee replied.

"Hum," Dick said worry in his voice, "if you say so, Cee.

"I promise I'm fine, now what do you guys want for breakfast?"

"Pancakes!" Dick said sounding like a little kid.

"I think Bruce and Alfred spoiled you a little too much kid," I said as Cee started digging around in the cupboards for the pancake mix.

"With chocolate chips!" Dick continued completely ignoring me, but pointedly keeping up the high pitch just to bug me.

"Oh nock of the scowl _Speedy_, your face is going to sick that way," Cee said as she returned to her rummaging in hopes to find chocolate chips.

"Thanks _Mom,_" I said the sarcasm so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Stop complaining or you don't get breakfast," Cee joked back with an invisible roll of her eyes.

A cackle echoed from behind me at her retort and I just continued my scowling. As stereotypical as it was I actually couldn't cook, then Cee found out I had been living off Eggos and she started cooking for me and banned Eggos from my relatively crappy apartment. Cee started humming an unidentifiable tune as she cooked the pancakes; I guess it comes from the circus background, but both of the brunettes had the ability to bounce back with an amazing swiftness.

After a few minutes I got bored and killed the scowl, annoying fact about Graysons all forms of glares/scowls don't have any effect on them; Dick for obvious reasons, and Cee gives Bats a run for his money. An annoyingly familiar giggle sounded from behind me, what did Dick find so funny this time? Cee chuckled after a minute chorusing with her brother for a minute.

"What?" I asked finally fed up.

"Dude, you're still in your boxers," Dick said between giggles.

"I'm gonna go change," I grumbled heading off to my room.

"Breakfast will be ready when you come back," Cee informed me as I left.

"Why do I even let them into my house?" I grumbled as I entered my room.

**~This is a page break~**

"So I guess Spe-Red Arrow's solo act didn't last long," Wally said to the rest of the team, save Robin, that were gathered in the living room of Mount Justice.

"Wally we don't know the situation, he simply said that the girl was an 'old friend' so she in not necessarily his partner," Kaldur said to the fuming Wally.

"He let her call him Speedy, who does she think she is?" Wally said as he paced around the room.

"Um Wally why are you so mad about this?" Megan asked from her seat on the couch near Conner.

"She seemed pretty helpful to me, she did fix my arm," Conner said in his usual monotone.

"Helpful?" Wally exploded, "she is… she's… who is she?" Wally deflated flopping on to the other couch.

"Maybe if we ask Red Arrow he would tell us who she is?" Megan said sweetly.

"Yeah he'd actually tell us anything, that'll be the day. Don't you have anything to say on this?" Wally asked annoyed to Artemis, who was sitting on the floor watching the conversation.

Artemis just glared at the redhead, Red Arrow knew about her shady past and she wasn't about to give him the invitation to spill her secrets by trying to figure out his. Wally returned the glare for a while before he gave up with a groan.

"If only Rob were here, he could do a Bat-search on her and we'd kknow everything about her."

"Wally I do not believe that is the answer to this, both she and Red Arrow deserve their privacy; besides I doubt that we will run into her again, we are a covert team after all," Kaldur said, ever the voice of reason.

"And if she a person of interest I'm sure the League would have warned us about her," Megan said in her sugar sweet voice.

**~This is a page break~**

"This is serious Bruce, she ran into the kids! She could have killed them; she certainly has the tract record for it," Barry shouted in the Watchtower's conference room that currently housed Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Flash, Green Arrow, and Aquaman.

"I know, we should have stopped the mission sooner," the Dark Knight agreed.

"What I want to know is how she's an 'old friend' of Roy's," Ollie said.

"Good point, according to League databases she's responsible for more than fifty homicides transitioning across the world," Diana replied.

"We should suspend the team, at least until we know her motives, not to mention the boy's motive," Aquaman said. Bruce ordered the computer to pull up two files, pulling two pictures up to the front screen as well. The picture on the left held Cee in her costume, and the one on the right held Alex in his shirtless attire.

"We can't suspend the team; this is a League priority and the League needs to deal with it," Bruce said, "no matter the motives of these two."

"Are we sure that these two work together?" J'onn asked.

"J'onn is right maybe she's like you," Diana said, after a glare from Batman she continued, "all of Gotham feared you at first, so she just might be a hero in the shadows."

"Maybe, but whatever the case she had questions to answer," Bruce said glaring at the screen for all it was worth.

**And now the chapter's finished! Wohooo This was really hard to write and I hope that it semi-made up for the two month wait for the new chapter, I feel as cruel as the YJ producers ;P I have a surprise: in the next chapter I have a new OC and she's a love interest for Kaldur 'cause I feel so bad for him after his girl was stolen from him.**

**Garth: Yeah burn!**

**Me: What the hell are you doing here?**

**Alice: I thought I wasn't supposed to be here until chapter 10?**

**Me: Gahh get back in my head you're not supposed to be here! Look what you made me do Garth, now people know what the character's name is! *pulls out long and pointy knife***

**Garth: Should I run?**

**Me: Oh yeah.**

**Review peeps**


	10. Chapter 10

**My TV remote smells like peppermint :P. Read on my lovelies. **

"Report to the briefing area," was the first thing that the six teenagers in Mount Justice heard the day after 'she' was discovered. Wally was surprised that the team would get another mission so soon after the last one, but he used the mission as an excuse to feel a little better after 'she' had wrecked his usual happy-go-lucky mood. Robin was similarly surprised but he was also worried, what if this had to do with Cee? Megan was curious as to what the mission was, after all Batman had said 'briefing room' not 'training room' which was how the green-skinned girl differentiated between a mission and training. Kaldur was fully prepared for whatever this mission might be, he was really to prove the worth of the team after the odd events of last night. Artemis was quiet as they all walked towards the briefing/training room she was hung up on seeing Red Arrow again last night and his threat from before still rang in her ears_, "do not hurt my friends."_ Conner was sulking, kryptonite was just another thing that Superman hadn't taught him about; Cadmus had imprinted the knowledge of the radioactive substance in his head but he wasn't prepared for it in the field.

When they entered the room the teens were met with the sight of Batman, Black Canary, and Red Tornado standing in front of the briefing screen which was currently blank, and that worried Robin even more. The teens arranged themselves so they were standing in a mostly straight line facing the blank screen in the middle of the room.

"Last night after the League dealt with the interruption to your mission, cameras hidden in Ra's al Ghul's base recorded a meeting between Ra's al Ghul and an unknown adversary. The League has agreed to have the six of you as part of the investigation because it is shown that one of you might know the adversary," Batman said in his usual monotone. The teens' faces were all shock riddled, except for Robin who simply raised an eyebrow at Batman's dramatics; he was as worried as the rest of the team was but he knew that if Batman was making a drama out of the situation then he was the one that knew the adversary. But with the amount of baddies Cee dragged with her the adversary could be Alex, Cee, Luke, or most likely Scarlet.

The screen changed to an antiquely-furnished study area with two chairs beside a large window; both of the chairs were occupied, the left by a man that looked to be in his young forties with facial hair and sideburns, Ra's al Ghul; the right chair held a girl that was maybe fourteen with hair the color of fresh blood and dark eyes, her red skin-tight pants were just a shade darker than her hair and she wore red strappy heels, the thing that made her stand out amongst the colors of the study most was the bright-sliver trench coat she had on her upper half. Both of the occupants had glasses, though Ra's glass looked to hold brandy while the girl had what looked to be red wine. After swallowing what couldn't have been more than a teaspoon of her drink the girl spoke.

"I take by the chipper mood that the negotiations went well," her lips had a single pearl of liquid on them.

"Yes," Ra's said, who had not looked chipper at all, one corner of his mouth barely moving up a centimeter, "your army would be at the same price, if not higher, if you would use them in negotiations."

"My army is a force used only for my personal battles or sadistic pleasure; they are not for financial gain. Besides, although the offer is appreciated, I have never had a real need for rapidly increasing assets," the girl replied a small smile on her lips, "now forgive me if this is propaganda but through the grapevine there's been a rumor spreading that the apprentices of the Justice League have made a team and started to become a hindrance."

"Not necessarily hindering, but inconveniencing, yes the sidekicks have been trying to meddle with our affairs."

The girl brought her left hand over her mouth as she giggled slightly, "do forgive the laughter but I don't think they like to be called sidekicks."

"You would know best Blood," Ra's said the corner of his mouth once again lowered, the girl however was smirking when her hand lowered, "you look proud."

"Well why wouldn't I be; Birdie is raising Cain and I can hope I at least contributed to his education in the subject."

"You seem to forget that he is raising this Cain at our expense."

"Oh I haven't forgotten, but Cain is Cain no matter who is causing it or who it affects, and it happens to be crucial to my life; so the fact that Birdie is raising such is highly pleasurable," the smirk was replaced with a sly smile that you find on a criminal that goes free with no remorse.

"Only you could think in such a manner," Ra's said before he sipped his brandy.

"I do hold high to that title. As much as you hold hig-" Blood was cut off by the ring of a cell phone. Blood dug her hand into the pocket of her silver coat and withdrew a red cell phone. She opened the slim piece of technology and pressed a button before she spoke a single commanding word, "Speak."

The other end of the conversation was inaudible, but judging from the way the smile dropped off Blood's face it wasn't good news. Her lips pulled away from her teeth as if Blood was growling, Ra's simply looked at Blood as if this was normal. After a span of thirty seconds of the conversation Blood's eyes flew wide and her hand clenched, shattering the wine glass and spilling the red liquid over the carpet and on herself. Blood's eyes now were a shade more florescent than her hair, and when she spoke it was with a anger that made you want to curl in the corner to escape her wrath, "When did this happen?"

A pause allowed for a response to be spoken before Blood spoke again, though this time her voice held less anger, "Eliminate any witness, inform all of Mine to come when I call within the next week, and make sure that Edmund is responsible. I expect all tasks finished within the hour Annabel, call then."

Ra's looked away from the stain on the floor to see Blood replace the phone in her pocket, "I take it that there has been disobedience?"

"Yes, it seems that the demonstration of John's disobedience had waned to the point that my army finds it conceivable to disobey my law. As such another demonstration is in order. I plan to rplace the rug."

"I'm pleased to hear that, it's nearly three decades old and I don't think that a blood stain will come out easily," Ra's said a smirk tugging on his lips.

"Perhaps I'll be able to see Birdie and his new team soon, I'll tell them you send your regards," Blood said as she stood to leave.

"Not necessary, I will be crossing paths with the sidekicks soon."

"Hm, very well then; Ra's al Ghul," she said inclining her head to him.

"Blood Ruby," Ra's said returning the gesture.

"Adara we're leaving," Blood said to the corner of the screen.

"Yes, Miss Ruby," an eight year old Arabian girl said as she appeared on screen.

"Oh, Ra's one last thing," Blood said stopping on her way to the door. She turned her head so that she was smiling directly at the camera, "you might want to upgrade security."

The last image that appeared was Blood throwing something into the camera lens so that all the reel showed was static.

The entire team was looking at Robing and giving very accurate impressions of fish. Black Canary, Batman, and Red Tornado were half-glaring at the brunette torn between being mad and surprised, or at least Black Canary was, Batman and was just mad, and Red Tornado well…

"Care to explain?" Black Canary asked.

"It's a long explanation," Robin replied, "and Blood's complicated."

"Try," Batman commanded.

"Her real name is Scarlet Wilde, and even though she looks like she's fourteen she's been alive for more than seven centuries. She was in Gotham about a year ago which is when we met," Robin thought it would be best to leave out the part where he already had heard about Scarlet from Cee before their encounter, "Scarlet's boss won't let her kill me and she's incredibly odd with how she commits crime, usually. Asking her to stop usually suffices to actually get her to stop, but she has a disappearing act that she can pull and after a fight, she'll literally disappear into thin air."

"You didn't mention this before because?" Batman glared.

"It didn't come up and she wasn't planning to return to Gotham so I didn't think it mattered."

"Cave," Batman said heading for the Zeeta beam transporter with Robin following behind him a second later.

After the Dynamic Duo had left the deeply confused group, Wally spoke, "what just happened?"

*At the Batcave*

"Dick, why didn't you mention this earlier?" Bruce Wayne, for the BatCowl was now off, asked the second that the pair was safe in the confines of the Batcave.

"Because it was smarter not to," Dick said removing the domino mask over his stormy gray eyes.

"Dick," Bruce growled at Dick's attempt to doge the question.

"Fine, the reason I didn't tell you is because Scarlet knows who we are. When we met she was in one of the abandoned factories in the east side of Gotham. She landed right in front of me, literally out of thin air, and said "I've heard a lot about you Mr. Grayson. My name is Scarlet Wilde but while I wear this I hope that you'll call me Blood Ruby, and I'll return the courtesy and call you Robin, or an equivalent, while you wear the mask, fair? Mr. Wayne certainly hasn't hesitated to educate you in the ways of the street, do you mind if I test that education?" and then she started fighting me, in hand-to-hand only; she purposefully has never tried to hurt me. She gave me her cell number and address after the fight, which didn't turn out well. She could have beaten me to a pulp, but the second she saw I was at the end of my strength she stopped fighting me and gave me her info, she even helped me back to the cave. After I asked Scarlet explained that she couldn't kill me because her employer wouldn't let her, and since she could kill me she might as well try to improve my fighting skills."

Bruce looked stunned, and then after he got over looking stunned he was angry. The BatGlare was even worse without the cowl. A few more moments of Dick trying not to wince under the BatGlare pasted before the glare softened and looked like concern, "Why haven't you stopped her? Or rather is she dangerous enough that she should be stopped?"

"She's more than just dangerous; she has a bad reputation of running streets with blood for all the seven centuries that Scarlet's been alive. And I have _tried_ to stop her, but with her Cheshire Cat disappearing act she can't be kept in a cell and handcuffs have no effect either."

"That could be a problem."

"Yes it could, but she doesn't usually meddle in affairs if they aren't directly linked to her," Dick said hoping this conversation would end soon so he could go think, because it was getting harder and harder to focus on not accidently mentioning Cee.

"Good. I'm going to check if the Justice League has anything on her."

"OK I'm going to head up to my room," Dick replied happy that this had finally ended, at least until Scarlet actually came into play.

"Dick, one last thing: don't keep something like this from me; it's important that any information about other metas be joint knowledge, alright?" Bruce was giving one of his rare kind smiles, and that only made Dick feel worse.

"Sure Bruce," _if only he knew about the things I'm keeping from him_, Dick thought as he slipped up the stairs towards his bedroom, _if only._

**Yay! Chapter 10, and the plot thickens, wahahaaaaa. Now if anyone else feels the need to help pacify my worry that I'm more insane than I thought, did anyone else jump up and down for a full five minutes after they heard new episodes were coming out on the 16****th****? (The YJ one I'd already seen but **_**Batman the Brave and the Bold**_** and **_**Generator**__**Rex**_** were awesome!) Also anyone else seriously deprived of one black-haired bird? I was thinking over the episodes and he wasn't in two of the ten episodes that are currently out; this is inexcusable, luckily Cartoon Network thwarted my wrath by showing that the Joker is going to be in some of the new YJ episodes and I can't wait to see what he does to our 'sidekicks.' 8D**

**Oh Alice doesn't get to be in this chapter because she stuck her nose in the last chapter. **

**Review button, right there**

**V**


	11. Introducing Alice

**MUST READ: **

**Firstly: I'm sorry it took me so long to update.**

**Secondly: This chapter takes place after Alpha Male, before Revelation.**

**Thirdly: In Revelation (which was awesome cuz it had Joker and Ivy, who I love because of her *cough* special spores.) it showed who the light is composed of, so let's just pretend that there is an eighth member who is my OC Alex (Cee's, maybe, ex-boyfriend).**

**Fourthly: This is a filler chapter whose main purpose is to introduce Alice, the chapter after next is more actiony and is more in-depth about Scarlet.**

"Cee things are starting to spiral out of control. Red Tornado was able to take all of out in seconds imagine what could be done now that he's in the hands of the enemy. Not to mention there might be another mole in the team," I said to the black stone; after you got over the oddity of talking to a rock it was exactly like talking to a phone, except it couldn't be tracked.

"Dick I don't know how the robots got into Mt. Justice any more than I know how Cadmus got the codes and DNA for Superboy. However I have a bad feeling that Alex has got something to do with it," Cee replied her voice echoed in the stone.

"What makes you say that?" I said as I worked on my tie, stupid monkey suit.

"He's been unusually quiet lately. In fact I haven't seen him in a full two months."

"Yeah, but I don't know if that exactly incri—"

"Come on Dick the party starts in ten minutes," Bruce yelled from the bottom of the stairs his voice slightly muffled from the closed door of my bedroom.

"Coming Bruce. My tie was putting up a fight, sorry," I yelled back turning towards the door. Then I turned back to the rock, "Sorry Cee gotta go."

"Don't worry I heard. I'll see you soon alright Robin?" I smiled at my nickname and almost missed the double entendre in her voice.

"Cee what are you planning?" I said wary.

"Nothing devastating I promise, now hurry up you're going to be late," I could hear the smirk in her voice.

"We can talk later right, because I haven't told you what happened with Aqualad" I asked.

"Of course now go!" Cee said before she cut the connection.

I put the stone on my bedside table running out the door and down the staircase. As soon as I reached the spiral section of the staircase I gave up the stairs and slid down the railing.

"What took you so long?" Bruce smiled, dressed as Gotham's most eligible in his suit.

"I was having a battle with my tie," I smiled back at the half-truth.

"No doubt Master Richard was fighting with his hair as well, with the amount of gel he uses I am surprised he doesn't have all the dust of the manor stuck on his head," added Alfred coming into view dressed as our chauffeur.

"I use a proper amount in order get my hair to behave," I objected happy for an excuse to delay our arrival at the party, and I use the term loosely.

"Your hair must be quite rebellious then," Bruce smirked back, "now stop trying to delay and let's get a move on."

"Was I that obvious?" I said trudging towards the door reluctantly.

"Dick Grayson isn't quite as stealthy as Robin," Bruce scolded following me to the door, "and it won't be that bad Alice is going to attending tonight."

"Sweet," I said my demeanor changing to chipper immediately.

"But," Bruce said tone back to scolding, "you are not allowed to blow up city hall this time."

"I was allowed to last time?" I asked cheekily remembering the last 'party' Bruce let me attend where Alice was also on the guest list, it was the first time I had actually had fun; of course said 'fun' lead to the destruction of city hall but….

"Master Dick," Alfred warned as he opened the door of the black limo.

"I promise not to blow up city hall this time," I said when Bruce slid into the limo after me.

"Good, I was worried I would have to continue the ban on Ms. Lawson's attendance to Wayne Enterprise events," Alfred smiled from the front seat after he had slid into the car as well, "it truly has been dull without her additions to the party."

"I can't believe that the calm tempered representative of Lawson Parks can be such a trouble maker; I've never seen I hint of her wild side when I talk to her," Bruce said his expression a mix of impressed and puzzled, "She remind you of someone Dick?"

"No one comes to mind," I replied my expression perfectly innocent. It took a minute but soon the car was filled with laughter, I think even Alfred let out a few chuckles. The rest of the car ride was filled with a comfortable silence so I plenty of time to balance the excitement of seeing Alice against the annoyance of dealing with the other snotty rich people. Plan for the night: sick as close to Alice as possible and try to ignore everyone else.

Pulling up at Cupit estate I had a last ditch hope to escape the horror of spending the better part of the night at the Cupit's, "You know Reddell is a very dangerous place, maybe I could…"

"You're not getting out of this," Bruce said icily crushing my hopes of escaping the party, bcause even facing the Joker solo would be better than spending the night here.

These kinds of parties are exactly as you'd expect a few dozen rich people thrown together all trying to show how much money they have. I walked in behind Bruce and was immediately meet with the nauseating chique covered ballroom. Fat ladies stuffed into gowns that were unsuccessfully giving the appearance of slimming and old dudes littered the huge floor.

"Oh, Brucie! You made it," Mrs. Cupit's annoyingly high voice floated from her fat throat as she approached from the left. "And Dick came with you how wonderful!"

"Hello Mrs. Cupit," I answered perfectly, god I hate this woman, "you look lovely tonight."

"Oh you're so cute," she squealed as her annoying sharp nails abused my cheeks, I'll never understand how a 45-year-old woman can squeal.

"Mrs. Cupit you were interested in making an investment on the new WayneCorp technologies?" Bruce said saving my cheeks as Mrs. Cupit turned towards him and let me slip away to hide by a wall.

"Damn it," I cursed under my breath. I couldn't see Alice anywhere, just other fat people and their gold-digger dates. Speaking of gold-digger dates, I looked over to Bruce and saw the blonde bimbo that had attached herself to his arm; man they work fast. But besides for the bimbo on Bruce's arm and a few other ridiculously fake chested bimbos around the room there weren't any other blondes, much less fifteen-year-old blonds.

"Looking for me?" a voice said following twin taps on my shoulder blade. Turning around I saw Alice in all of her pale-blonde, aqua eyed, tanned skin glory. "Or do you make a habit of hiding in the corner and staring at party guests?"

"No, it's just a normal routine, Bruce insists on it," I joked back at the only thing that makes these things fun.

"How have you been Dick?" Alice said chuckling.

"Good but you wouldn't believe what 'we've' been up to."

"Oh I can guess. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a complete hermit, and I do see the occasional news cast."

"I never would have guessed, but it doesn't exactly surprise me given who has attracted so much attention lately."

"My dear brother has been bit by the popularity bug," Ali smiled at me, you wouldn't guess it by looks on any planet but Alice Lawson was Roy Harper's younger sister. The first time Roy was adopted his father was Brave Bow a Navajo medicine chief that was constantly busy and often had to leave Roy to his own devices, as fate would have it Magdalena Lawson, Alice's adoptive mother, was a member of the tribe and was spending a year with the tribe as a "shift in environment;" Roy didn't have many friends in the tribe being he was the only kid with everyone else at minimum two years older than him, so when he started hanging out with Ali he became an older sibling to young girl and, consequently, overprotective at times. When Brave Bow died he moved from the tribe just before Alice was supposed to move back home leaving them both feel that their family's had been torn apart, again. When Roy showed up with Ollie for a charity event he got the pleasant surprise of seeing Alice, who was also attending; with the riches between the two families Alice and Roy stayed as close as siblings despite their long distance commutes.

"I have no doubt that you already have a poster for the new hero?" I asked. Ali was fully supportive when she found out about Roy's vigilante double life and became a bit of a fangirl for all of the league and their protégés; her favorite pastime being making posters of the superheroes with a quote on them for comedic value, and most of them were pretty funny, the others were hilarious.

"Yep, I can't wait for you to see it; I also made a new one for you. The other one was a bit outdated," Alice said smiling.

"Yeah I really don't appreciate the reminder of the scaly-underoos," I replied using A's term for my old costume.

"Hehehe don't worry it's not like I put said picture on the internet along with all the other posters I ever made."

"Why am I not surprised?" I asked the sky.

"Because she's my annoying little sister," Roy said from behind Alice.

"ROY!" Ali squealed spinning around and crushing Roy in a rib-breaking hug.

"A… you're… choking… me," Roy gasped out his face slightly blue.

"Oh, sorry," Alice said releasing her choke-hold on Roy's neck. "I thought you weren't coming, after the little dispute you had with Ollie I doubted you'd ever come within a hundred yard radius of Mr. Queen."

"I wasn't," Roy growled, "my _date_ made me."

"How in world did you get a date?" Alice and I said at the same time.

Roy grunted and flicked his head towards the center of the room where a young girl in a purple dress stood out from the fat and old. Black hair and a gymnast's body, WHY THE HELL WAS CEE HERE?

To be continued…

**Now I really wanted to not cut this chapter in half but I really wanted to post something and I thought this was the best place to end this chapter. **

**NOW YOU MAY SKIP THIS PART IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY PERSONAL LIFE, BUT YOU MUST REVIEW IF YOU DON'T READ:**

**Yay for me! I passed my Tae Kwon Do test, but now I'm in soooooo much pain, I nearly butt-slid down the stairs to escape the pain of my soreness. Also I have to take care of a baby for 24 hours on Wednesday, fake for a school project… what I'm saying is it's a good thing I'm already an insomniac.**

**THANK YOU FOR READING. I KNOW YOU LOVE ME NOW :D BUT PLEASE REVIEW SO I CAN SEND YOU VIRTUAL COOKIES!**

**V**

**V**


	12. Introducing Alice Part 2

**This chapter is a little more flighty than my previous ones mostly because I wanted to get a lot of different POVs included in this chapter. Also there's some little snippets of Kaldur/Alice incentive mostly at the end. **

**Just a little note: I'm not going to have any major relationships with a pairing that isn't with one of my OCs. But I will just go along with canon and have little hints of Spitfire and Conner/Megan. I don't object to any pairing but I don't want to focus on any pairing without an OC. **

"Ugh, this is so boring," I complained to the empty air, sadly there was no mischief-loving bird to agree with me. I still couldn't understand how Black Canary had thought that sending the team to guard the Cupit's charity event from kidnapping and robberies was a good idea with the whole _'Robin's-identity-must-never-be-revealed-to-the-rest-of-the-team' _rule Batman had going; not to mention that we were probably going to get hypothermia from sitting out on the rooftop in the freezing fall air.

_Shut it Baywatch, and could you not talk we're supposed to be covert_, Artemis thought back over the mental link.

_Artemis is correct that we need to be covert Kid Flash, but part of that means not starting a fight that could lead to our discovery_, Kaldur interjected as the babysitting leader that he is.

_Fine, fine_, I thought back as I had just found something much more interesting to do with my time than fight with Artemis; Dick had just arrived. He was wearing a stuffy suit and had his hair jelled back, total blackmail. It took only four seconds for the host to see Bruce and Dick after they entered the party, Mrs. Cupit was a niceish woman kind of annoying but not necessarily connivingly evil like most of the other woman at the party. As soon as she approached she squeezed Dick's cheeks so hard I was worried they might turn blue, but then Bruce said something to distract Mrs. Cupit and Dick slid over to the wall and semi-hid behind an expensive statue. From my space at the skylight it looked like my best friend was looking for something or someone.

A pretty blonde girl that was about my age wearing a gold and blue dress saw Dick hiding behind the statue only a minute after he hid, at first she looked puzzled but then she broke out in a grin that looked to have some mischief behind it. She took a few steps over to where Dick was hiding and tapped him twice on the shoulder. Dick looked like relieved when he turned around and saw the blonde girl. He said something to her and they both laughed a little before they got into more of a steady conversation.

_Is that Roy?_ I had forgotten that we were on a mission and the voice interrupting my thoughts, literally, almost make my crash through the skylight I had been using as a peephole; then what Aqualad had thought caught up with my brain.

_Roy? Where?_ I thought back looking for the redheaded ex-sidekick.

_He just entered with the young woman in the purple dress,_ Aqualad responded looking in the skylight to the left of me.

Sure enough there was a young brunette in a purple dress with her arm slipped through Roy's standing in the doorframe of the giant hall. They walked into the room a little more and then the girl stopped Roy and nodded in the direction that Dick and the girl were taking. Whatever she said to Roy was inaudible and that was really annoying. Apparently the feeling was mutual.

_Superboy can you hear what they are saying?_ Aqualad thought.

_Isn't that only supposed to be used on the bad guys?_ Megan asked innocently.

_This is the exception,_ Artemis chimed in, making this the one and only time we'll ever agree.

_Come on Superboy_, I thought to the brunette.

_Alright_, Superboy agreed.

Roy: What?

Girl: Go talk to them.

Roy: And what are you going to do?

Girl: Mingle; you need time to socialize with the people you will actually talk to before I can possibly get you to talk to Ollie.

Roy: What if I try to escape because I really don't want to talk to Ollie?

Girl: *Really? Look* You really want to do that?

Roy: Point taken, *forced smile that looks real* if I manage to survive Ali's hug I'm going to kill you after tonight.

Girl: *More of a temptress' smile* Of course, but you'll still have talked to Ollie so I still win.

Roy: *As girl walks away* Unbelievable. *Walks over to Dick and the blonde teen.*

Blonde: … it's not like I put said picture on the internet along with all the other posters I ever made.

Dick: Why am I not surprised?

Roy: Because she's my annoying little sister.

_ROY HAS A SISTER?_ I shouted into the mind link.

_A younger sister apparently_, Aqualad said similarly as stunned.

_I don't understand_, Megan thought_, I thought you two and Red Arrow knew each other already?_

_That was my understanding as well_, Aqualad thought back sounding as betrayed as I felt.

_You guys shouldn't be so hard on him_, Artemis thought quietly.

_Really Artemis? I thought you would be the last person that would ever defend Roy, _I shot back furious that she has suddenly decided to side with Roy after months of them being adversaries.

_Usually I wouldn't defend him, but family's a hard subject; especially in the vigilantly life. I mean think about it, have you ever seen her out chasing bad guys? _Artemis reasoned.

_No_, I responded unsure where she was going with this.

_So that means that Red Arrow probably wants her to stay out of danger and telling you about the little sister he doesn't want involved in this life wouldn't make sense, would it?_ I hate to admit it but Artemis had a point.

_No it would not_, Aqualad responded the betrayal gone with Artemis' reasoning.

_Wally? Wouldn't you feel the same way about your family?_ Megan asked me.

_Yeah_, I relented.

_What's she doing?_ Superboy questioned looking down at the brunette teen that was currently pulling Roy towards the area of the room where Ollie was standing.

_I think she's going to make Roy talk to Ollie_, I thought suddenly pleased with Roy's type.

_Superboy could you tell us what they are saying again?_ Aqualad asked.

_Sure_, Superboy responded.

We listening to the conversation that Roy and his date were having with Ollie and Dinah until Roy's date and Dinah left to go talk together and left Roy and Ollie to talk by themselves; this was the part I really wanted to hear, unfortunately that was when we were interrupted.

"You guys aren't very aware of your surroundings are you?"

* * *

><p>"Roy why the hell is Cee here?" I hissed at the soon-to-be-dead archer.<p>

"Uh, Dick before you kill my brother could we hear the explanation for his date? Because I must admit I'm curious," Ali said stepping so that she was partially blocking my path to Roy.

"Explain," I growled crossing my arms over my chest and giving my best imitation of the Bat-glare.

"Simple," Roy said not at all fazed by my glare, I needed to work on that, "She, through a mix of manipulation and blackmail got me here and said that if she didn't come and force me I would never talk to Ollie."

"Smart girl," A said looking over at Cee who was casually chatting with some of the less pompous guests.

"She was right in that you'll never have the nerve to talk to Ollie by yourself," Roy glared at me, "but Bruce is here what if he meets her and recognizes her?"

"You sound like you doubt my mad skills," Cee said coming up behind me. Her dark hair was pulled back and the dress was a simple design, all together she was purposefully not drawing attention to herself. Even her silver eyes had played it simple; they were hazel, instead of silver for the night no doubt changed by the tinted and colored contacts Cee wore when she went under an alias.

"I don't, but neither do I doubt Bruce's skills," I said uncrossing my arms as I realized what the joke had been when Cee had told me she'd see me later when we had talked.

"I'll stay away from Bruce, however there is a billionaire I have to talk to," Cee smiled at Roy.

I barely heard the 'I hate you' that Roy said as Cee dragged him towards Ollie, but it still made both Ali and I laugh.

"Sorry to leave you with the stiffs, but I'll be right back," Ali said glancing at the ceiling.

"Hurry," I begged as she left in the direction of the hallway where the banquet hall was connected to the rest of the Cupit estate.

"Hello Dick," a voice said kindly after I had been staring at the wall for a few moments.

"Hello Mr. Cupit," I replied, Mr. Cupit had come into his fortune at the same age Bruce had and, although somewhat tuned down by age and his wife, he was a kid at heart; which made him a good person to have a conversation with at one of these events.

"How are your cheeks?" he asked apologetically.

"A little bruised but they'll be fine," I said, Mrs. Cupit was actually quite nice but whenever I'm around her she always does something of the equivalent of making my cheeks turn blue.

"I'm sorry about that, my wife is a little eccentric and she really loves you, but she can't have kids so she always treats you immaturely, which we both know you the opposite of," Mr. Cupit responded.

"She can't have kids?" I asked.

"Yes, unfortunately about ten years ago Linda got cervical cancer, luckily it was quickly treated but we can never have children, which would be why she was so very jealous of Bruce when he adopted you," Mr. Cupit said wistfully.

"I'm sorry Mr. Cupit I shouldn't have asked," I said, as it was my turn to be apologetic.

"It, thanks to paparazzi, is common knowledge, but it was before your time so im happy you got to hear it from me and not the recycled through the grapevine version; and if you keep calling my 'Mr. Cupit' I'm going to have to start calling you Mr. Grayson."

"Oh please don't, Michael I don't think I could stand having another person call me that," I said sticking out my tongue.

Michael started to laugh and I wasn't as worried when A was coming back.

* * *

><p>"I hate you," Roy growled.<p>

"I'm your date you're supposed to hate me," Cee replied as she dragged him towards a certain blonde billionaire. Roy could, and would, never understand how the girl had managed to force him into situations like this; the blackmail was only part of it (the girl had more on him than Bats), mostly it was that even at eighteen Cee hadn't yet outgrown her puppy-dog eyes. Dick had said it was genetic.

"Be civil," Cee warned as they approached the blonde couple.

"Well I'll agree that it's a valid point, but… Roy? Oh what a nice surprise," Dinah Laurel Lance said when she caught sight of the two teenagers.

"Roy," Oliver said after he turned around, his eyes were pleading.

"Ollie," Roy grunted back his eyes were half glaring. Cee glared at him, and even with her tinted contacts her glares were more than enough to make him want to curl up in the corner.

"I don't believe we've met, I'm Dinah Laurel Lance," Dinah said to Cee expecting to have Roy's date another bimbo that needed to hear things three times before she understood.

"Pleasure, Aurora Luna," the brunet said shaking Dinah's extended hand.

"Interesting name Ms. Luna," Oliver replied taking his eyes off Roy and shifting them to the brunet with the interesting alias.

"Eccentric parents," Cee explained, Roy grunted at her explanation.

"Oof," Roy grunted as Cee's elbow quickly forced all the air out of his lungs. She whipped her head around and gave Roy a dangerous smile, specifically her if-you-don't-do-what-I-told-you-to-do-you're-going-to-be-f*cked-on-so-many-levels-you-can't-see-rock-bottom ice-cold smile.

"Civil," she reminded him. Dinah decided that this was the best date of Roy's she had ever met as she tried to keep the smile off her face.

"How's the apartment?" Ollie tried.

"Fine, falling apart, but fine," Roy replied softening the slightest margin.

"You could always move back in…" Ollie slowed as Roy's eyes narrowed again, this time Cee settled for crushing a few of the arches on Roy's left foot with her heel.

"Dinah I'm sure you and Aura would have plenty of things in common," Roy said quickly trying to escape the pain the brunet was causing him.

"I'm sure we would, shall we?" Dinah asked motioning towards the tables a few yards away from where they were now sensing Roy's attempt at escape.

"We shall, thank you," Cee said stepping in the direction Dinah mentioned. After a few feet she turned her head back and shot Roy a mix between her don't-mess-this-up-because-I-will-kill-you look and her I-want-this-to-all-work-out-for-you look.

"She's the best date you've ever had," Ollie said stunned.

"Yeah," Roy said the left corner of his mouth pulling up slightly.

* * *

><p>"Do always abuse your boyfriends like that?" I asked after we had both gotten drinks and settled into a small table; apparently I should have waited until <em>after<em> she finished her drink. Aurora gagged on her dark drink, I'm not exactly sure what it was but she had mixed a powder into it before she started drinking.

"Excuse me?" Aurora said still choking a little.

"Do you always abuse them like that? Not that I'm complaining, the comedic value's far too good to argue but you might lose a few guys," I replied not understanding why she was so startled by my question.

"Wait, you think that Roy and I?" she cover her mouth as she started to laugh, it was really similar to something but I couldn't place it, "He's not my boyfriend, it's purely platonic I assure you. And the 'abuse' works to two purposes, firstly it reminds him that if he doesn't take my advice I will kill him, and secondly it makes him spend time with just Ollie which was the point of my making him come tonight."

"I'm relatively sure you have a higher IQ than half the people in the room combined," I said after a moment of stunned silence. This girl was amazing, if she could make Roy stay in the same room as Ollie, not to mention actually make them have a mostly-civil conversation, she was worth of the Justice League. "How long have you known Roy?"

"Only about a year, but we've become really close," she said with an almost wistful smile.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"Oh, no sorry got a little sidetracked," Aurora replied the wistful look disappearing.

"I'm surprised that you two are so close after such a short time," I said trying to make sure the wistfulness was kept away.

"Yeah, from what I've heard Roy's a bit of a hard head. But our friendship is mutually beneficial; he can't cook, at all, so if I'm spending the weekend at his place I make sure that he has at least one meal that isn't doused in fat. Before I found out about his inability to cook he was living off Eggos, so I'll cook as long as he never has a frozen waffle in his apartment ever again."

I couldn't help it I busted up. She was hilarious, and the feeling of déjà vu I got around her was uncanny. But I couldn't place it… Dick, she had the same sense of wit that Dick did, except hers was a bit more mature and fine-tuned. She even resembled the protégé of Batman in appearance, except for her eyes, the hazel irises were nothing like Dick's blue ones. "Mind if I try your tactics on Ollie?"

"Be my guest."

* * *

><p>"You guys aren't very aware of your surroundings are you?" the voice was adolescent but that did not mean anything in relevance to a threat.<p>

It only took a millisecond for the entire team, including myself, to spin around ready to face the threat should the voice be one. The young girl that Roy had said was his younger sister was leaning against the railing of the roof half-glaring and half-starring at the team, her gaze flitting from one member to the next. Her posture suggested that even faced with my water-bearers, Artemis' strung bow, and the fighting poses of Kid Flash, Miss Martian, and Superboy she wasn't fazed by the situation, and that it was her fight to control.

"Give me a reason," Artemis said pulling the bowstring back even farther.

_Artemis she is a civilian, we cannot hurt her_, I informed the tempermantal archer.

_I know but if we scare her she'll back down,_ Artemis replied not taking her eyes from the target.

"I can give you three," it did not appear that Artemis' tactic was working, "first, I'm a civilian and under Justice League protocol completely innocent; second, that is a blunt tipped arrow and not one of your elaborate trick arrows so if you shoot you'll have quite the difficult time explaining why Green Arrow's protégé is out shooting fifteen year old girls and mortally wounding them; and third, bullets travel faster than arrows," she uncrossed her arms and showed the golden pistol in her right hand. It was only a blur when the gun made its arch and pointed itself directly at Artemis.

_We have to stand down_, I told the team not willing to risk their safety.

_No way, no one just points a gun at me and expects me to coward out_, Artemis replied the stubborn part of her personality taking control.

_I can take her_, Superboy thought his hand coiling into tighter fists.

_And I can get that gun away from her before she can blink_, Kid Flash recommended.

_I am sure if we do anything she will shoot, we cannot risk that_, I objected letting my water-bearers go slack as my tattoos stopped glowing. Reluctantly the rest of the team followed suit.

"Thank you," the girl replied not yet lowering her weapon.

"So do you have a name or should we just call you scary-lady-still-pointing-a-gun-at-us?" Kid Flash said, I was worried that tempting her ire was not a good idea.

"Alice," the girl responded finally lowering the gun.

"You were bluffing," Artemis said dumbfounded.

"Half-bluffing," Alice corrected, "no actual bullets but the equivalent of a beanbag round for a handgun. They won't kill you but they hurt like a bleep.

"A bleep?" Superboy asked.

"An expression my friend likes to use in school so he doesn't get detention for cussing," Alice explained.

"Wait, why did you point a gun at us in the first place?" Kid Flash questioned.

"You pointed an arrow and two swords at me first," Alice objected.

"We are sorry, you startled us we are supposed to be watching for trouble and you made us think that you might be trouble," I explained, now that she no longer was pointing a gun at us I got a better look at her features. I had a great deal of difficulty imaging that she was the sister of Roy, her hair was bright blonde with her roots matching the rest of her hair, the tanned skin had once been paler much more so than Roy's, and her eyes were a bright aqua, nothing about her related to the former partner of Green Arrow; not even their choices in style matched, her dress had a long blue skirt that flowed from her rib-line to the floor, and her chest was covered in a gold fabric that crossed her body and wrapped around her neck leaving Alice's shoulders bare.

"How are you Roy's sister?" Kid Flash exclaimed thinking along the same lines that I was.

"Mutual adoption," Alice replied bluntly.

"What is that? And more importantly how did you know we were up here?" Megan asked.

"Mutual adoption is the relation between Roy and I, we're part of the same Navajo tribe and, when we lived there, we were the only two kids on the reservation so he adopted me and I adopted him. How I knew you were up here? When trying to be covert in peeping, it's a good idea to not press your face against the glass of the skylight. Lastly eavesdropping, though rude, can provide some good context. I have no doubt that if you didn't know I was related to Roy you wouldn't have hesitated to try and render me unconscious," Alice said simply, there was no insult in her voice just fact.

"Well I think that's a bit extreme, beautiful. We would have at least hesitated," Kid Flash said reverting to his natural state of flirting now that it was clear she wasn't a threat.

"Yeah, mostly so Kid Flirt here could drop a lame pickup line," Artemis jabbed.

"Hey!" Kid Flash yelled back, Alice laughed slightly at their antics, and I realized that she looked good with a smile.

"I have to go back to the party," Alice said as she headed in the direction of the door the lead back into the house, "I'm sorry if I did cause any trouble, I was just curious to why and who was up here."

"Before you go," I stopped her, "none of us were properly introduced I am A—"

"Aqualad," Alice finished for me with the first, although small, sincere smile I had seen on her, "I'm a bit of a fan."

And with that she left the frigid rooftop to rejoin the rich in the hall.

**I actually finish when I said I would! TAKE THAT procrastination! I hope part 2 lived up to part 1. **

_**PLEASE REVIEW!**_

_**V**_


	13. Enter the Blood Ruby

**MUST READ:**

**I decided to use a different system for when people speak different languages. I'll put the speech in italics and then in parentheses put the language and who can understand it. Example: "**_**I bite small children, (French, Ben, Fin)"**_** I just thought that the foreign words took up space. Onto the story!**

For once the team was actually supposed to approach the enemy, this however did nothing to stop things from spiraling out of proportions. The team was fighting an unknown gang that the league hadn't been able to link to any known crime boss, a fitting mission for the covert team. As cliché as it was the gang had been hiding in a warehouse, and was where the team had accidently turned a 'quick take-down' into a full-out gun-down.

Artemis was almost out of arrows when the last of the unknown gang members fell.

_Well that was fun_, Robin thought into the team's mental link, _now let's find out who these guys work for._

_You can do that?_ Superboy asked.

_Sure, but before we've always known who we were fighting so I haven't needed to until now,_ Robin replied calmly approaching one of the knocked-out thugs.

_You're not going to hack into the CIA again are you?_ Kid Flash asked as the holographic screen appeared on the bird's wrist.

_One time KF, one time_, Robin answered smartly upset his friend still hadn't let the incident that was over two years old go yet.

The holographic screen took the picture of the unconscious man and let it take up half the screen, the other half having pictures of other faces rapidly flashing by as the computer checked facial recognition. _Well this is weird_, Robin thought staring at the screen.

_What is strange, Robin? _Kaldur asked as the Boy Wonder moved to another thug.

_That guy,_ Rob glanced at the results for the second guy, _no all these guys are_ _just hired muscle, barely any previous criminal record and absolutely no relation to any crime boss or each other. But they're too heavily equipped to just be organized by themselves._

A steady clapping filled the still air. Artemis pulled out one of her last arrows, Superboy pulled his fists back in a fighting stance, Kalur's water-bearers glowed with the controlled water, Kid Flash was already looking at their uninvited guest, and Miss Martian went in to camouflage mode. Robin froze and his back went rigged, it wasn't the fact that the team had another villain to deal with it was the villain's identity that had Robin scared; there was only one person that would enter with that kind of echoing clap—Scarlet, or in this case Blood Ruby.

"Well done. Truly I'm impressed, sixty relatively muscular men taken down by six teenagers in ten minutes. I'm not even upset that I spent a good million dollars and two days getting these men to take up arms against you, given that it was so very entertaining," the icily smooth voice of Scarlet Wilde drifted from above the team. Robin slowly turned around and straightened so he could look up at the redhead, Ruby stood on top of the large metal shipping crates that were stored in the warehouse. "Miss me Birdie?"

"Would you be offended if I said no?" Robin asked the fourteen-year-old.

"Slightly," she responded with a grin, which was the only part of her from that was visible. The silver coat that she had been wearing when the team had first seen her on the surveillance video she had morphed using her powers into a full length cape that completely covered her eyes and body.

"Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to slightly offend you," Robin said running through a check list in his head of what he currently had in his utility belt.

_Robin are you sure it's a good idea to taunt her, she might be dangerous,_ Miss M thought to Robin worried.

_She is dangerous, but she likes to toy with people so if you keep her entertained she gets distracted_, Robin thought back.

"So are you going to introduce me or, and I'm guessing that this is the correct, did your Justice League already show you the surveillance video in Ra's estate?"

"The latter, but you don't know them this is Miss Martian, Artemis, Aqualad, Superboy, and Kid Flash," Robin introduced his team pointing to them in turn.

"I'm charmed to meet all of you," she said slipping off her hood, "I've never had the chance to introduce myself, Blood Ruby."

"So besides for the base evil was there a reason that you hired men to gun us down?" Wally asked sarcastically.

"How else was I supposed to get the super-secret-team-of-not-sidekicks out of their little mountain and introduce myself?" Ruby replied to his sarcasm her dark-red eyes sparkling with a devilish mirth.

"How did you know about the mountain?" Kid Mouth shouted at her.

"Because you just told her!" Artemis yelled back.

"The lovely archeress is correct in that you confirmed that you have brought Mount Justice back into use, however I already knew that you were operating from Happy Harbor."

"How could you do all this your barely fourteen," Superboy growled.

"You didn't tell them?" Ruby asked Robin tilting her head to the side questioningly.

"Slipped my mind," Robin replied unsurely.

_Robin what and why did you not inform us of?_ Kaldur asked over the mind link.

_I think we're about to get a demonstration_, Robin thought back.

"Sadly we're not as well acquainted as I thought," Blood said returning her head to a vertical angle, "You're right in that I'm only fourteen, Superboy. However I've been fourteen for a number of years, a little over seven hundred if I'm counting correctly."

"What… how?" Wally stammered his mouth open.

"Simple, a very old very secret race," with that Ruby touched the circular ruby pendant that held her cape together and under her fingertips the cape fell off. Blood wore tight red spandex pants that reached her ankles connecting to the strappy red heels she had on her feet, what she had been wearing in the surveillance video; her top half and waist had been covered by her coat/cape in the video and the team could now see her top, two wide strips of red cloth made an 'X' across her chest connecting on each side of her waist with two gold rings also attached to either ring were two rectangular objects, her weapon of choice. Her bright red hair was loose falling down her back reaching just past her shoulders and she didn't let anything cover her color shifting eyes.

"What race?" Miss M asked, she had given up her camouflage after Robin had introduced her.

"They're called Statera, there's only ever two full-powered Statera at one time and I have no doubt that your learn more about Statera soon," she said with a double meaning.

"If you are one Statera then who is the other?" Kaldur asked still tensed as the others were after seeing she held weapons, whatever they could be.

"I knew I was forgetting something, you see lovelies I cheated; I'm the third Statera and my employer is the main powerhouse, Mercury. Nightshade is his other half, and according to your League's classifications, Mercury is the bad guy here and given that Nightshade is always trying to stop him that makes her on your side? If I understand the logic of Justice correctly that is; it's baffling what mortals will use justify their actions," Ruby said as she walked to the very edge of the metal crate she stood on.

"Enough, you going to keep talking or are go going to try to kill us?" Superboy growled prompting the team to raise their weapons, Robin remained still.

"Forgive me, I thought you might enjoy a history lesson suppose it's only interesting if you were there. So Birdie lethal or training?" Her hands pulled the rectangular object from her hip. A quick flick and it was reviled that the rectangular objects were two twin fans based red with a sharp silver lining and daggers at each cross-pole.

"I'd rather you not kill my team, Ruby," Robin said calmly as if he were listing a color preference rather than his teammate's lives.

"Training it is then," Blood said stowing her weapons at her hip once again as she jumped off the crate arching her leg in a kick as she did. Ruby's outstretched leg hit Superboy as he raised his arm to defend himself. After the block Blood recoiled off Superboy's arm and aimed a kick at Aqualad dodging Artemis' arrow as she did.

"Really, I'm almost disappointed," Ruby said evenly as she managed to get around Aqualad's water-bearers and kicked him in the ribs. "I would have thought you would be able to take me on."

"We're doing fine," Superboy responded as he aimed a punch at her head.

"So it appears, but looks can be deceiving," Blood said as she backed up hitting the approaching Kid Flash in the stomach with her elbow while dodging Superboy's fist. "Oh, I love plan B."

"What the?" Artemis shouted as a M.O.N.Q.I. dropped on her, with more dropping from the rafters. Superboy growled remembering the cause for his hatred for monkeys as several of the green and black robots dropped on him.

Blood pushed off the concrete floor and joined the remaining M.O.N.Q.I.s on the rafters. _"Do not kill, but keep them distracted. If Robin tries to follow me to not hinder him, orders Alpha, (Thai, Ruby, M.O.N.Q.I.s_)" she said to the batch of Primate shaped robots. She walked along the beam heading into the adjoining room that only connected to this room by a small door, but the wall only reached the bottom of the rafters so she was going to enter via the empty space above the wall.

_She's going to get away! _Artemis shouted into the mental link as she flung the robots off her.

_I got her, take care of the M.O.N.Q.I.s, _Robin replied swinging up on the rafters after Blood using one of his grappling hooks.

_I am not sure that is a good idea Robin…,_ Kaldur thought slashing at the M.O.N. with his water-bearers in sword form.

_No time to change plans,_ Kid Flash replied working with M'gann to take down the M.O.N.Q.I.s by running them over after she brought them down to the ground with her telepathy.

_Be careful,_ Kaldur warned as Robin disappeared over the wall after Ruby.

One by one the team took down the M.O.N.Q.I.s; Superboy and Artemis started working together after she ran out of arrows, Kid Flash and Miss Martian continued to use their method, and Kaldur was able to take down a good portion by using his water-bearers in their sword form. It took a decent ten minutes but soon all of robots were in pieces on the floor next to the knocked out thugs.

_We need to go help Robin_, M'gann thought flying towards the empty space above the rafters that they team had seen Robin and Blood disappear through.

_M'gann go over the wall, we will join you through the door,_ Kaldur instructed as he and the rest of the team went to the door to enter the other half of the warehouse.

Superboy hit the locked door and it caved in and hit the other side of the warehouse. M'gann hovered above the center of the room her face pale.

_M'gann?_ Superboy asked worried.

_Who's… Who's blood is this?_ M'gann thought back.

_We need to find Rob_, Wally thought.

_Down the hall_, Artemis thought heading towards the corridor.

What kind of a warehouse is this? Wally said fallowing her.

_I am not sure,_ Kaldur responded.

At the end of the short corridor was a thick metal door. Superboy hit his fist against the door and it dented the door but it didn't cave; the door gave up after the third hit. Ruby spun her head towards the now-bare doorframe and twisted her lips into a small smirk. Robin came at her with his bow staff when her head turned. Blood lashed out her foot at the last second and made Robin hit the wall near the door.

"Remember what I said Birdie, you're going to need it," Ruby said to him. Kid Flash ran at her trying to tackle her but she just vanished right before he got to her.

"What did she tell you?" Superboy asked at the same time that M'gann asked, "Who's blood was on the floor?"

"It was Ruby's blood, she cut herself to make a point," Robin said as the green skinned girl helped him to his feet.

"She cut herself?" Artemis said repulsed.

"Yeah, she's a masochist," robin replied, looking over at the fallen speedster, "Hey KF you thinking of getting up soon?"

"In a minute, I face planted into the concrete," he groaned from his place on the floor. Robin sighed and went to help his friend up.

"What did she tell you?" Superboy growled mad that the bird had ignored him the first time he asked.

Robin finished helping Kid Flash to his feet before he answered Superboy's question. "She said that we're going to get killed."

* * *

><p><em>She's going to get away! <em>Artemis shouted into the mental link as she flung the robots off her.

_I got her, take care of the M.O.N.Q.I.s, _I replied taking out a grappling gun and shooting it after Blood.

_I am not sure that is a good idea Robin…,_ Kaldur though to me, he was right this was a bad idea but I needed to talk to Ruby.

I landed on the rafters a few feet away from the M.O.N.Q.I.s and immediately followed after Ruby, who had just disappeared into the other room. I was hoping to outrun the M.O.N.Q.I.s but it didn't sound like they were following me, knowing Ruby she probably knew I'd follow her and told the robots not to stop me.

I fell over the wall that separated the two rooms in the warehouse using another line to make sure I didn't splat onto the concrete floor beneath me. Ruby stood in the middle of the room and waited until I let go of the line to throw one of her daggered fighting fans at me. I lunged to the right and turned a summersault to avoid the fan that the redhead threw at me.

"Good Birdie. But it's not really surprising; you have been fighting for the longest, and you've been fighting me for longer than the rest as well," she said pulling on the air like a string, using her powers to bring the fan back to her hand. The red weapon arched through the air and dug a few of the spikes into her hand when Ruby caught it. She smiled in her plain/pleasure way.

"It's really creepy when you do that," I informed the redhead.

"True, but masochism in general in odd," she said stowing her fan at her hip again. She ran at me, rising her leg but bring her leg down on the wall instead when I dodged her attack. She, as usual, wasn't trying to kill me, or even cause any major damage; 'training' she called it._ "I'm guessing that you want to question me something? (German, Robin, Ruby)"_

I gave her a curt nod, "Your friends will be distracted for a good five minutes more," signaling for me to follow her down a corridor.

The corridor was only a few yard long and had an open steel door at the end. She entered the smaller room and I followed closing the door behind me. With a normal villain this would have been pure stupidity, but Ruby's anything but normal.

"Why did you come here?" I questioned as soon as the door closed.

"I already said, I wanted to meet your team," she said casually.

"The other reason, you always have a double motive," I said.

"I wanted to give you a warning Birdie, You need to get out of this, you're going to get killed if you keep up with this," she said any of her usual mirth gone.

"I've always run the risk of getting killed, and besides Alex doesn't want me dead so who are you warning me about?" I asked crossing my arms.

"It's not just Mercury I'm working for; you already saw that I'm working with Ra's and the others like him don't care about killing you just because it would upset your sister. You're safe for now, but they're getting less and less concerned about obeying Alex as time goes on. You and your friends don't know what you getting into," I hated it when she was concerned; it meant that there was a serious threat.

"Why should you care? The only reason you don't kill me is because Alex won't let you, and you naturally hate Cee because you work for Mercury, so why should you warn me?" I questioned.

"Because Birdie, and trust me that I wouldn't say this unless it was true, I am actually starting to care about your wellbeing, as counterintuitive as it is; I don't want you dead and that's why I'm warning you. Please just, if you won't adhere it, at least give my warning some thought," Rub pleaded.

"You're honestly worried, aren't you?" I asked so amazed that I uncrossed my arms.

"It's odd isn't it? Just try not to killed, if not for me then for Cee?" She asked looking at me with a wistful look I'd never seen. "You know I don't care about people Robin, it's not in my nature; but I'm starting to care about you, don't throw that away by getting yourself killed."

"I'm not planning to just throw my life away anytime soon Scarlet," I said scared by the wistful look, it didn't suit Scarlet.

"Good," she tilted her head again, "You should start fighting me now, the team just entered the corridor.

I pulled out my bow staff as she pulled the fans from the gold loops, "I'm sorry, but I can't just stop being Robin."

"I figured as much, but be more cautious from now on, there's a higher risk," she swung at me and we traded places when I dodged the blow.

I heard the banging of Superboy's fist against the door and the creak of the door as it was forced into a bent shape, amazingly it held on, but after two more hits the door caved.

Ruby looked at the door and I took the opportunity and swung at her with the bow staff. She ducked under the high blow and made me hit the wall with a kick.

"Remember what I said Birdie, you're going to need it," Ruby said, malice back in her voice as she did. KF tried to tackle her but she used her powers and vanished.

* * *

><p>"She said that we're going to get killed."<p>

"Well duh, we're superheroes, of course she thinks we're going to get killed," Wally said from behind Robin.

"Why would she warn you?" Artemis asked.

"It's just who she is, Ruby probably just wanted us to squirm," Robin replied.

"It is odd, but we should get back to the Mountain before we discuss things further," Kaldur agreed.

"I'll call the bioship," M'gann said as she started floating again.

The rest of the team followed M'gann as she headed towards the door, but when Robin reached the door he looked back at the room. He need to talk to Cee, if Scarlet was worried about him then things were about to get a lot worse. He realized that he was doing the same thing that Aqualad had done about the mole, not trust the team; why hadn't he told anyone yet? It wouldn't do any harm, per say, but whenever someone found out about Cee she disappeared again. Robin should have realized that most of his fear to tell anybody came from when Cee had first run away, his parents had drilled it into him that Robin couldn't talk about her anymore; for two reasons they said this, the first being that her death had been staged to keep anyone from coming after the runaway and the second being that Cee's powers were growing and people test those prematurely would have been a catastrophe. So when he had his new life, he had already lost the rest of his family so he _couldn't_ talk about Cee, if his parents had insisted it.

"Hey Rob, you coming?" Wally asked looking back.

"Yeah," Robin let out one of his signature cackles as he followed his friend.

* * *

><p>A few days later…<p>

The team stood in front of Batman listening to the briefing for the new mission. The team had been previously assured that the Justice League would interrogate Ivo about how Scarlet gained control of the M.O.N.Q.I.s.

"There has been a surplus of man-made power on the outskirts of Lawson Parks," Batman said bringing up a picture of the nature preserve, "the owners of the preserve, Magdalena Lawson and her daughter Alice Lawson, have no proven criminal records but the heiress has been allegedly been involved in the number of petty criminal instances." Two pictures appeared next to the landscape map one was a middle aged Native-American woman with dark glasses and many black robes on and the other was a familiar sight for the team.

"HER?" Wally shouted dropping the nachos he had in his hands.

Batman cocked an eyebrow at the ginger, "You've met?"

"On the Cuppit observation, we met," Aqualad explained staring at the blonde girl on the screen.

"How?" Batman asked, and Robin silently agreed with him.

"She approached us on the roof; I did not mention it because she was not a threat."

"You will be giving a new report including Alice Lawson after you return from observing the situation at Lawson Parks," Batman commanded. The team nodded in understanding while Robin tried to keep the smile off his face. So that's what Ali had been up to when she had disappeared, and knowing the blonde she hadn't made a peaceful impression.

To be continued…

**A/N: I spent a good 2 and a half hours begging candy from people on Monday and got a huge load! The downside of this was that from then until now I've been bedridden with a really annoying cold. The only plus-side of being bedridden is that I managed to finish chapter thirteen before episode 16 of YJ aired! Huhar!**

**REVIEW! *fuzzy bunnies compel you***

**V**


	14. Lawson Parks

**A little info for this chapter:**

**I didn't want to incorporate what happened in Failsafe just yet, partly because that episode made me cry myself to sleep and partly because it's a little too serious for this chapter to incorporate. **

**So far I'm not having Zatanna because she hasn't been mentioned again and I don't really know her personality. **

**In the flash-back Robin is only seven so that the reason for some of the dialog. **

**I swear I thought of Alexis before they introduced Wolf. **

**If Scarlet sounds a little weird when she talks, just remember she was born in the fourteenth century. **

**Thanks, read on! **

The bioship was silent on the way to Lawson Parks, for different reasons. Artemis was still upset that she had to back down the last time she and Alice came face-to-face, Wally was similarly upset, as were M'gann an Conner, Kaldur was… well he was in denial honestly, he was impressed that Alice could put up with Roy and that she stood up to the team, but at the same time he was angered by those incidents, Robin was fighting a smirk it was obvious that Ali had rubbed the team the wrong way and Robin found that hilarious.

"Approaching landing point," Miss Martian said the green landscape of northern California flying by.

"Camouflage the bioship M'gann, and prepare to land," Aqualad instructed the Martian, "Change into stealth-tech."

The perimeter of the nature preserve that was Lawson Parks was clearly outlined by both a sudden clean-cut of the foliage and a barbed chicken wire fence that had a red 'danger wild animal preserve' signs every half-mile. The bioship landed in camouflage mode a hundred yards away from one of the signs.

"Miss Martian establish telepathic link," Aqualad said.

_Everyone here?_ Miss Martian asked her voice echoing in everyone heads.

_Here beautiful_, Wally responded

_I got cha Miss M,_ Robin thought pulling up a heat map of their location.

_Here,_ Artemis said calmly.

_Here,_ Superboy mimicked

_I believe we are all here,_ Aqualad assured the Martian.

Wolf barked mentioning his head at the door of the bioship.

_Looks like somebody's ready to go,_ Robin though with a smirk, _the heat signature shows that the man-made power source is exactly where we are now, well a few hundred feet below us._

_Alright let's go, _Kid Flash said running over to the door like the canine companion and baring a similar expression.

_First we need a plan_, Kaldur thought to the over-anxious redhead, _Robin can you locate an entrance to the power source?_

_Yeah, about a quarter-mile to the north there's a small manhole that's the only entrance other than a similar manhole a half-mile to the west, but that enters Lawson Parks_, Robin replied.

_So we have an entrance and an exit a good and bad thing, _Artemis said.

_Isn't it a bad thing that we only have one exit?_ M'gann asked.

_Yes it is, what makes it even worse it that the exit is in Lawson Parks,_ Robin thought back showing the team a 3D depiction of the tunneled cave that the team was about to infiltrate. It was spherical shaped with two tunnels at the top and left side.

_What's so bad about a nature preserve_? Kid Flash asked.

_Do you not see the signs that say 'danger?_' Robin questioned his best friend.

_Sure but everybody has those to keep people off their property_, Wally said nonchalantly.

_You keep that philosophy in mind, KF,_ Robin said nodding and silently thinking that Wally was an idiot.

_Are we going to actually get any recon done or are the two of you just going to stand there and continue to debate the authenticity of 'warning' signs?_ Artemis asked.

_Let's go Blondie_, Kid Flash thought running out the door.

_Don't call me BLONDIE!_ Artemis shouted back.

The five remaining members of the team in the bioship shared a look before following their arguing teammates to the manhole. It only took the team about two minutes to reach the manhole and Kaldur rehearsed the plan one last time before the team entered the manhole.

_Robin and Artemis will reach and observe the main power source and any of the technology, Conner, M'gann, Wolf, and I will back up Robin and Artemis and observe the enemy_, Kaldur relayed to the rest of the team as they crouched around the manhole.

_Understood,_ the word rang throughout the heads of all the team as they all said the word.

Kaldur nodded as Wolf went down into the tunnel followed by Robin, Artemis, M'gann, Conner, Wally, and finally Kaldur closed the lid of the manhole after he went down. The tunnel was just tall enough so that Robin didn't have to crouch but the rest of the team did have to slightly bend to fit.

_It's amazing that for once your shortness is actually beneficial to you_, Wally thought to the raven hair.

_Wally_, Robin growled at the ginger in his I-want-to-kill-you-now-but-I-can't way that made him shut-up immediately.

_Okay, you have to teach me _that, Artemis told the Boy Wonder.

You've already got your own version, Robin thought back.

You're too sweet, Artemis thought as she and Robin split from the rest of the group when the tunnel expanded into a large cavern, it was void of any people but in the center of the room was a complex collection of chemistry equipment.

_Kid Flash do you know what they could be doing with this equipment? _Kaldur asked their favorite Science Olympiad.

_Based on this they, whoever they are, are trying to change the chemical balance of an element, but that's only a theoretical experiment,_ Kid Flash thought back.

_What element are they changing?_ Robin asked.

_Uh, looks like Mercury if I had to guess,_ he replied.

_Crap_, Robin thought slowly.

_Robin!_ M'gann scolded.

"As much as I enjoy your company, you lovelies really shouldn't be here," Blood said from behind Robin and Artemis.

Artemis and Robin spun around to face the fourteen year old redhead. She just smiled at them and crossed her arms behind her back.

_Please tell me you guys are getting this?_ Artemis asked the rest of the team.

_Miss Martian and Superboy are on their way to assist you, Wolf, Kid Flash and I will remain guarding the perimeter. Robin can you distract her?_ Kaldur thought back.

_On it_, Robin thought back.

_Fat lot of help that'll do! Remember two days ago, she took us all down,_ Artemis thought at the same time.

"Well Ruby, sorry to trespass but it turns out that I actually did miss you," Robin said sweetly.

"Mhm, you wanna try again or should we just start fighting?" Blood replied with one of her 'really' looks.

_Well that didn't work,_ Robin thought.

_You thought it would?_ Artemis questioned.

_No, not really, _Robin responded.

"What do you mean we shouldn't be here, you shouldn't be here either," Artemis snapped at the younger girl.

"Why shouldn't I be here? This is my place of employment after all," she smiled at the blonde archer.

"I was really hoping you wouldn't say that," Robin said back. Scarlet looked at him and winked with one of her dangerous smirks.

"Now if it was up to me I wouldn't mind you lovelies being here but—" she was interrupted by a bullet hitting just a few feet in front of her feet.

"This is my lab and I don't take well to trespassers," Artemis whipped her head around to see an eighteen year old male with silver hair and a smoking gun in his hand.

"That would be the 'but'," Scarlet said, looking over at the silver haired male who wore a pair of tight silver pants with a red belt and two holsters for the guns he had.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Artemis asked as she drew her loaded bow back.

"My employer, Mercury," Blood said bowing in the direction of the silvered haired teen.

"And you my love, would be the beautiful archeress, Artemis, correct?" he asked tilting his head.

Artemis was a little stunned, she wasn't used to flattery from the bad guys. Mercury looked at her with a smirk as her re-holstered his gun. "Why so fluttered, love?"

Artemis swallowed quickly and raised her bow to his face. His smirk just grew.

_You guys are almost here, right?_ Artemis asked their backup, M'gann and Conner.

_We're right above you_, M'gann responded.

_Then what are you waiting for?_ Artemis responded.

_An opening_, Superboy though.

"Well I'm going to bow out before you lovelies tear this place apart. Have fun," Scarlet said as she turned around and started walking away.

"You're not staying?" Mercury asked the redhead nonchalantly.

"_I'm not so stupid to stick around when Nightshade finds you flirting with the archeress, (Stateren, Mercury, Blood_)" Ruby told him placing a hand on her jacket-covered hip.

"_What makes you think she'll be attending? (Stateren, Mercury, Blood)" _Mercury replied.

"_I never said she would be attending, but I'd rather not witness your digging your own grave, (Stateren, Mercury, Blood_)" Ruby said before continuing her exit. It looked like Ruby was going to walk into the wall as her exit, but only a foot away from the wall of the cave her form was concealed by a silver mist and she disappeared, like the Cheshire Cat.

_Artemis, Robin hurry and join us we are under attack_, Kaldur thought to them.

"Who's attacking our friends?" Artemis growled at Mercury.

"What kind of stereotypical villain would I be if I didn't have Hench-Men?" He smirked back. The area filled with smoke when Robin threw down one of his Gas Pellets.

_Artemis you M'gann and Superboy help Aqualad and KF, I've got Mercury_, Robin instructed as he jumped into the smoke.

_Robin—_ M'gann started worried.

_Just go_, Robin thought back cutting her off.

Artemis headed off in the direction that Kaldur, Wolf, and Kid Flash were with Miss Martian and Superboy following close behind. There were a little more than twenty armed Hench-Men that Aqualad, Wolf, and KF were doing their best to hold back, but they were slipping. Artemis, Superboy and Miss Martian jumped in to help as soon as they reached the rest of their team.

* * *

><p>It was like fighting Kobra. Except I don't have a personal history with Kobra, Alex was blocking everything I threw at him. It's really amazing how differently two people interact after only four year and one of them going completely insane.<p>

_I was looking for Sparrow, Mom had said that it was time for practice and it was weird for Cee not to be near the high wire or trapeze when it was training time. I was going to check the costume trailer when I ran into Alex._

"_Alex, have you seen Sparrow?" I called to the twelve-year-old._

"_No, but I'm looking for her too little bird, maybe we should look together," he proposed. I really didn't want that, he had been acting funny around Cee, and she had been acting funny back; I had talked to Mom about it and she had called it 'puppy love' whatever that meant, I didn't like it no matter what weird name it had. _

"_Uh, I think I can find her," I said hopping to be able to find Cee by myself, or at least first._

"_Wouldn't it help to have two people looking for her?"_

"_No."_

"_Why not?" he asked raising an eyebrow at me. Alexander Haly had known me since I was born, Cee as well; it came with the territory of being the son of Jack Haly, the owner of the circus. He was the same age as Cee, a few months older, and had been friends with both of us, despite him being five years older than me. But as soon as the 'puppy love' started I just wanted him as far away from Sparrow as possible. _

"_Because," I said back._

_He just kept his eyebrow up. His dark-brown hair almost fell in his golden-brown eyes; I really don't understand why Cee has 'puppy love.' "Because why?" I think he might know that I want him away from Cee._

"_Hey guys, Kassia said you were looking for me," Cee said walking up to the two brunettes._

"_Good old Mom," Alex said smiling at Cee._

"_Yeah," Cee smiled and bit her bottom lip slightly._

"_Come on Sparrow, Mom said it was time for practice," I said grabbing her hand and pulling her in the direction of the main tent. Cee stumbled a little at being pulled, her freshly pixie-cut hair flopping in the wind._

"_I'm coming, I'm coming, sheech little bird excited to fly much?" She said picking up the pace and walking next to me._

_I just walked a little faster still pulling my older sister. I really hated 'puppy love.'_

It wasn't Alex's fault, per say. The whole Statera thing was extremely complex but in a nutshell, Cee had inherited it (not from our parents), ran away when she found out about her powers, Alex had followed her, she kissed him accidently gave him a giant power like hers while completely frying his sanity in the process, and finally made the two of them have a very confusing love/hate relationship lasting to today. And to think, by biggest worry for the two of them used to be puppy love.

I lashed out a kick towards the silhouette of the teen in the smoke, but ended up just kicking the smoke-filled-air, exactly like Kobra. I always used the smoke pellets because they worked to my advantage, I could see and the enemy couldn't, that wasn't the case today; I would have laughed if this was anyone else, to distract them if nothing else. I saw the kick a millisecond before it hit my side, I instinctively tried to block it but wasn't fast enough to match a Statera.

"What's wrong _Robin_?" Alex asked as I hit the floor.

_Rob we could use some help_, KF thought into the mental link.

_Working on it, KF,_ I thought back. The smoke was starting to clear and I could see the bright-silver color of Alex's hair, when he had been infected with the Statera power his hair and eye color changed to silver and black; the same thing had happened to Cee, except she had been infected before he was born so it looked like her natural color was a brunette.

_Robin, run!_ Kaldur shouted at me. I was confused until I heard the explosion, then it made sense.

I ran towards the second tunnel the one that I really didn't was us to use. This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

><p>The six other members of the team followed Robin out of the tunnel, unfortunately so did the Hench-Men. Kid Flash was the first out of the manhole, the entrance had been covered with leaves and dirt to disguise itself. Robin followed KF out then Miss Martian, Wolf, Artemis Aqualad, and Superboy followed. The Hench-Men only took an extra second but they came out guns blazing. The team was fighting against the Hench-Men, but Mercury was nowhere in sight.<p>

_Where's Mercury?_ Robin called out.

_Don't know, you were the last person to see him_, KF said trying to run and unarm the men, but they were firing too quickly for an opening.

Kaldur used his water-bearers as a shield to block the bullets as he went in closer. But didn't see the unarmed goon that was about to hit him from behind. Before the goon could hit Kaldur, he was blasted away by a torrent of water.

"Nice save Kaldur!" Kid Flash yelled as he managed to disarm one of the men.

"It was not me, once again," Kaldur said unhappily.

"Then who?" Superboy asked. Another guy jumped at the team but was intercepted by a midnight-black wolf.

Soon all of the Hench-Men were under siege by wolfs of all different sizes and colors, yet none were the same size of Wolf being that they had never been injected with Kobra Venom.

"Um… friends of yours Wolf?" Wally asked the startled canine.

"Who knocked the guy out with the water blast?" M'gann asked confused.

"Her," Robin replied nodding in the direction of the fight.

A young girl, about fifteen, was taking the Hench-Men out with a bamboo bow-staff. She had twizzled locks of pale-blonde hair that was tied back with a blue band, and her eyes were covered by an aqua domino mask. She had green shorts and an aqua skirt-like covering that was open in the front, a waist-less halter-top covered her top. The bow-staff had flowing marks carved into it, much like a sea anemone's tentacles. Her neck had three sets of near-translucent gills on either side, and her hands and feet had a soft webbing.

"I didn't know there was an Aqualass," Artemis said.

"There is not," Kaldur replied a bit unsettled by the girl.

The men were disappearing in the same kind of mist that Scarlet had disappeared into, the ones that were still here were completely overwhelmed by the wolves. When the last of the men had disappeared the wolves and the girl turned to the team.

"Thank you for the assistance with the—" Kaldur started.

"Did you just miss the giant red lettering that said 'danger, stay out?' Do you know what would have happened to both of you if I hadn't been here?" she asked clearly mad, the wolves growled almost like they were agreeing with her.

_Well that's what we get for thanking her,_ Artemis seethed.

_In retrospect we are trespassing_, M'gann thought sweetly.

"We are sorry for trespassing, we—" Kaldur tried again.

"Do you know what would have happened?" She asked again some of the anger replaced by weariness.

"No, I do not," Kaldur answered.

"Most wolves won't ever attack humans unless they are forced to, but the wolves at this preserve are so territorial that if anyone trespasses they will attack and hunt. If I hadn't been here they would have tried to kill you," she said motioning towards the wolves behind her. The largest wolf was a cream-colored one that was directly behind the girl.

"Thank you for not allowing that to happen, we can leave now if you would prefer," Kaldur said, nodding.

"Please," she asked.

"Before we leave," Wally started, "can we get a name?"

"Sprite," she said back.

"Like the pop?" Wally asked.

"Not quite, like a River Sprite," She said back with a smile.

The medium sized black wolf that had first attacked advanced on the Team growling at Wolf. Wolf growled back his hunches starting to rise. The cream colored wolf ran in front of the black one and snapped it jaws at the smaller wolf first before giving a half-growl at Wolf.

"Get your mangy mutts in order," Superboy growled at Sprite walking up to Wolf.

A resounding growled echoed around the field coming from every canine mouth and from Sprite's. "Get yours off our land."

"Happily," Superboy growled raising a fist.

"Superboy!" M'gann said stepping in front of him.

"We will leave before there is an incident," Kaldur said before he thought to Miss Martian, _Call the bioship before we have a war on our hands._

_Calling bioship,_ M'gann thought still standing in front of Conner.

"So why haven't we ever heard of you before?" Wally asked super-speeding a little closer to the Atlantean, "You obviously have a face for the camera."

"You'll flirt with anyone, won't you?" she asked giggling slightly her hand covering her mouth.

"Only when they're pretty like you," Kid Flash responded super-speeding so he was only a few feet away from the girl.

"Oh, grow up," Artemis scolded him.

"Nobody asked you!" Wally shouted back. The wolves turned their heads back and forth with each person talking, it also looked like they were smiling.

"Nobody needed too," she snapped back.

"Nobody wanted your opinion either," KF yelled pointed at the blonde archer.

"Nobody wanted you to flirt with every female on the planet either!" She retaliated.

"Are they always like this?" Sprite asked Aqualad.

"Yes, they are," Aqualad responded as the speedster and the archer continued to yell insults at each other.

Sprite started to laugh so she covered her mouth with her hand, the wolves behind her also looked like they were laughing. The bioship landed behind M'gann a few minutes later.

"We will leave now," Kaldur informed her.

"Thank you," she said cutting off her laughter, "and if you ever decide to come back, use the front door."

"Will do beautiful," Wally said as he ran into the bioship.

When the entire team had boarded the bioship the door closed, and the ship started to rise. The wolves disappeared into the forest until only the cream colored one and the black one remained by Sprite. When the bioship disappeared Sprite started to talk.

"Well that was interesting," Sprite said.

"_Very, Pip. You did not inform us of the wolf with them, (Wolfish, wolves, Sprite),_" the cream-colored wolf tilted her head towards Sprite as her jaws moved.

"_I didn't know, Speedy didn't mention it, (Wolfish, wolves, Sprite_)," Sprite responded. _"Did you have to make a fuss Luna?"_

The black wolf huffed turning around and walking in the direction of the rest of the pack.

"_Teenagers, (Wolfish, wolves, Sprite),"_ Alexis growled after her.

"_Maggie's going to kill us if we're late, let's go, (Wolfish, wolves, Sprite),"_ Alice said with a smile running in the direction of home.

"_I'll repeat, teenagers, (Wolfish, wolves, Sprite_)," Alexis said before running to catch up with her Pip.

**I finished! If you didn't understand, Alice is Sprite and Pip, both are her nicknames. River Sprite is her Navajo name and Pip is Wolfish for prized pup.**

**A/N: I was sick all this week too, but I got to finish chapter 14 because of it so I guess that was good.**

**Review!**

**V**


	15. Gotham City Lights

**High everybody, I finally have Failsafe incorporated, and Disordered is in here too. A few people have questioned why Cee left when Dick was little, the story reason she left: she freaked about her powers, the reason I put it in here: how else was it supposed to be that no one knew about her? **

**If Rob's a little OC, I'm sorry I truly tried. Read on.**

Gotham was quiet, a blue moon occurrence in the dark city. It was a fun jungle gym for me, it always had been. Gotham was my different version of the circus tent that I used to fly around, neither better or worse than my old jungle gym, just different. Usually I would be flitting around the city on a night like this where Bats was with the League and I was on solo-patrol, but after what had happened a few days ago it felt a lot better to just sit and look at the city. That training exercise had shook all of us, but I was dealing with the fact that I might not want to be **The** Batman anymore; to be so willing to give everything up, I had went through with it because I had to, but I never wanted to be forced into that situation again. I wasn't able to give everything up, that's why no one knew about Cee.

I know it was silly not to tell anyone that I had an older sister, but I was… honestly, scared; Cee had already disappeared once and I wasn't going to have it happen again. Call me selfish but my entire family had been ripped away from me when I was nine, could you blame me for wanting to make sure the last person I have loved since I was born didn't disappear?

"Pretty landscape, little bird," a voice said from behind me. Speak of the devil and she shall appear, or think of the devil in this case.

"Yeah, when it's not being robbed or used as a battleground for the schemes of a criminal mastermind," I responded as the raven haired girl settled herself on the gargoyle I was leaning my caped-self against.

"Hm, that is true of most places though," Cee agreed as she dangled her boots over Gotham.

"I guess," I replied not taking my eyes off Gotham.

"_Little Bird? (Romani, Cee, Dick),"_ Cee asked her voice dripping in concern. Cee rarely ever called me by my real name, she preferred nicknames, little bird came from a lullaby that our mom used to sing to us when we were younger.

"_I forgot you don't know about the exercise,_ _(Romani, Cee, Dick)," _I said honestly forgetting, it was the general feeling of the mountain so I wasn't yet used to having to explain it to people.

"_Exercise?_ What exercise? _(Romani, Cee, Dick),"_ She asked in her more motherly-concerned voice, Cee was five years older than me and had always been the paternal kind so she took a motherly role when she was worried, especially with me; it balanced out with how over-protective I was about her love-life.

"_A few days ago we went through a simulated training exercise, Martian Manhunter linked us and we went into a situation where aliens came to the Earth and attacked, the League went down first, in the beginning we knew nothing was real, but what Batman and J'onn didn't tell us was that it was a train for failure exercise. When the entire League had been eliminated the team knew that in the situation we were the Earth's last hope, so we found a lone ship near Superman's Fortress of Solitude, they got Wolf, but we knew it wasn't real, things changed when they got Artemis_," I paused and took a deep breath, I was glad that I was talking to Cee it made things easier, "_M'gann accidently took over the simulation, and none of us knew it was fake anymore. One by one we all went down and the entire team thought it was the end, when we lost Kaldur I had to take over, and I had to send Superboy to his death and I got us all killed and I didn't understand why you weren't there, I thought you were dead or… or that—_ _(Romani, Cee, Dick),"_

She cut me off when Cee grabbed me in a hug, and I just shut up and enjoyed being consoled. _"I'm so sorry, Robin I would have come sooner, I should have come sooner. (Romani, Cee, Dick)."_

"_You didn't know, (Romani, Cee, Dick)," _I said into her shoulder.

"_Richard look at me," _I did as she asked, whenever she used my full name it always meant I needed to listen,_ "I would never leave you alone, if you went through something like that. I would never leave you alone. I wouldn't ever leave you to go through that by yourself. And I'm so sorry that for even a moment you had to think that I would. (Romani, Cee, Dick)."_

"_I know, (Romani, Cee, Dick)," _Even if I did know, it felt good to be told and reassured that she would be there. Her hands were still on my shoulders so I gave her a smile to reassure her that I was alright, Cee wasn't so easily fooled.

"_What else? It seems like there's something else bothering you, (Romani, Cee, Dick)," _If it had been anyone else I would have let them read me like that, but it was Cee so I didn't have much of a choice.

"_After the exercise we talked to Black Canary for therapy, and I told her that… I wasn't… I didn't want to be __**The **__Batman, to be so willing to give everything up, I can't even give you up_,_ (Romani, Cee, Dick)," _I spoke slowly not sure how to say what I wanted to my older sister. It was easier and harder to talk to Cee about what I had realized in the exercise, easier because I knew she'd never tell anyone and because she'd probably have a better understanding, but harder because she was the person that was used to the last resort situation and might look down on me for thinking that I didn't want to give anything up.

She looked at me for a minute and I missed her silver eyes, it would have been easier to know what she was thinking if I could see them. _"To be honest Dick, I… was afraid that you would want to be The Bat, that you wouldn't have a problem sacrificing. As awful as it sounds, I'm happy that you know that you're scared to be what he is; and I'm happy that you are still the little bird you used to be, at least for a little while longer. I'm horrified that you had to discover it though, as stupidly cliché as it is, I don't want you to grow up, not in this vigilante life. I'm scared for myself, but I'm terrified for you, you take on more than anyone, and at the same time I'm happy your learning, I'm terrified about the damage its dealing you. (Romani, Cee, Dick)."_

"_Sparrow I... (Romani, Cee, Dick)," _I honestly don't know what to say. Cee's worried that I wouldn't have a problem sacrificing? But I didn't expect her answer, or how much she sounded like a parent. Her usually midnight-black hair turned a golden color when she was talking, and I didn't know that she felt so strongly. It was part of the Statera thing, her hair and eyes were black and silver on a normal day but when she felt a _really_ strong emotion her hair and eyes went back to the color they would be if she hadn't been a Statera.

I gave up trying to speak, there weren't words instead I grabbed the Romani girl in a bone crushing hug. She was a lot of things to me that she shouldn't have had to be, and right now she was acting how her blonde hair made her look, like mom. "_Thank you, Sparrow_. _(Romani, Cee, Dick)."_

"_You're welcome, Robin, (Romani, Cee, Dick)," _she said back returning the hug.

"Think we could tone down the seriousness?" I asked after she had released me.

"I think that could be managed," she smiled back. We resumed looking over Gotham and I rested my head on her shoulder a lot happier than I had been at the start of patrol. The peaceful scene was ruined when my holographic computer started beeping and pulled up a schematic of Gotham with a blink red dot on it.

"A robbery at Gotham Jewelers, you up for helping me sis?" I asked the once-again brunette.

"You sure the big bad Bat won't find out about it?" Cee asked looking toward me.

"I think we can be sneaky," I said back as I stood up, "that is if you don't slow me down."

"Oh, I think I might just be able to beat you there little brother," she said with a smirk on her feet as well.

"Really? This is my city after all," I mimicked her smirk.

"You're losing time, little bird," Cee chuckled. I launched myself over the roof pulling a grappling hook from my belt at the same time.

I heard a more feminine version of my laughter from above me as Cee followed suit, jumping across rooftops instead of over them.

I really wish I had seen that flash of red hair before I had left, and yes I realize the pun.

* * *

><p>"A robbery at Gotham Jewelers, you up for helping me sis?" Robin asked the girl that had been with Spee— Red Arrow when Superboy had the kryptonite through his arm, why did Dick just call that girl "sis?"<p>

"You sure the big bad Bat won't find out about it?" She questioned back, what was she hiding from Batman?

"I think we can be sneaky, that is if you don't slow me down," Robin smirked at her, this was really getting confusing.

"Oh, I think I might just be able to beat you there little brother," WHY THE HELL DID SHE CALL HIM HER "LITTLE BROTHER?"

"Really? This is my city after all," How could Dick be OK with this?

"You're losing time, little bird," No way, Robin hates nicknames like that, its official my best friend has been brainwashed. I have to get to the bottom of this.

I pulled my goggles back over my eyes and started running home as fast as I possibly could. I had heard from Barry that Bats was with the League tonight and because Dick wasn't at the mountain, I had guessed he would be on patrol in Gotham. I was right but what I didn't expect was to find him leaning against _her_ and acting all touchy feely, especially after what happened in the exercise; I expected him to be able to bounce back like I did, but I guessed he just needed a little time. I had wanted to see how he was doing so I thought that we could patrol Gotham together. But now I need to find out how he had been brainwashed by her, and how to fix my best friend.

First I was going to do a little research, maybe Rob did have a sister? No, he was definitely brainwashed, but I was going to check first then I needed to talk to Bruce.

One thing was sure I was going to find out what was going on, and soon!

**I'm sorry if this was short but this was the place to set up for chapter 16.**

**A/N: Dear God, I started this at ten and expected to get a paragraph or two done and instead I finish the whole chapter. It's now one O'clock and I need to wake up at seven and go to school tomorrow, curse you writing addiction! **

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**Review!**

**V**


	16. Technical Irony

**I'm so very sorry this took so long to get an update, if you would like an explanation please check the A/N at the bottom.**

**Also I have no computer skills in regards of hacking so I'm sorry if some of the actions are completely unrealistic, I tried.**

**On with the story!**

Wally blinked his eyes were sore from staring at a computer screen for the entire night, not to mention the fact that he hadn't slept. The redhead's mind was spinning with the lack of sleep and the whirlwind of information he had gathered over the night.

Eight hours ago:

Wally whipped into his room, spinning up a small whirlwind as he did making some of the lighter objects on the floor flutter around the room. The redhead nearly tipped the chair to his desk he slid into it so fast. He couldn't help it, Wally was frantic he had to find out what was wrong with Rob, but… Should he tell Batman, find out himself, or tell Barry? Wally didn't know what the best option was, but he didn't usually take the best option so he was going with the fastest option: find out himself.

He hit the 'on button for his computer, feeling his leg shake as he not-at-all-patiently waited for the PC to boot up. When it finally did KF had the problem of waiting for the page to open, he figured that he should find out if there was any reason for this girl's sister illusion. As soon as the page loaded he immediately typed 'Flying Graysons Haly Circus' into the search engine.

The first entry was an old poster of the Flying Graysons with Dick being tossed through the air with the rest of his large family following. Wally clicked on the web address that went with the picture and was brought to a website for the circus. The top article was in bold.

"_This shall be the last entry to ; it would be an insult to continue this being that only last week all but two of the Graysons tragically fell to their deaths when the wire snapped on the trapeze. The youngest Grayson, Richard, was the only member of the family alive and not permanently handicap as his uncle, Rick, the only other survivor, was suspended to a wheelchair for the rest of his life._

_The Grayson's will be ever immortalized as the main attraction of Haly's circus and the amazing aerialists that they were. Their legacy will live on in young Richard Grayson, who is now an orphan with no living relatives psychically capable of being his guardian. Hope that fate will be kind to the young aerialist._

_Sources say that this is not the first of tragic loses for both the Graysons and Haly's Circus, but refuse to offer any more information on the subject._

_Remember the humans that were Graysons as the people who flew, and were free._

_[EDIT] Richard Grayson has been adopted by Bruce Wayne the millionaire; the young Grayson will have a good life."_

That was where the article ended, the others had older dates and Wally wasn't interested, already too hung up on the phrase: _Sources say that this is not the first of tragic loses for both the Graysons and Haly's Circus, but refuse to offer any more information on the subject._

_Does this mean… Does Rob really have a sister?_ Wally thought to himself staring open-mouthed at the screen. _That he didn't tell me about?_

Wally was going to find out. He opened a new tab and typed 'Children of John and Mary Grayson' into the search box. When he tried to open the page that most closely matched his inquiry it came up as a restricted file. Wally frowned at the large restricted sign that came up, he hated not being able to access something and often pushed until he got what he wanted.

Wally wasn't an expert hacker like Robin was, but given that he couldn't call on the bird to secretly look into his own possible, likely, brainwashing Wally had to settle for the next best thing; the Tech-Bird 1.0.

For his fourteenth birthday Wally had invited Dick over, the boys had just become good friends and they loved to hang out together. For Wally's gift the brunette had given him the Tech-Bird 1.0, a small flash-drive shaped device that could hack any minor security system. Robin had given it to him in secret after the actual party, given that none of the adults would be particularly pleased with the actual gift. It was really ironic that Wally was now using it to check into Robin's brainwashing.

The red 'Restricted' sign shifted until it made itself into the shape of a bird. If Wally had known that the bird part wasn't a side effect of the Tech-Bird 1.0 he would have started to suspect that something was up sooner. The bird shape disappeared and the once-restricted page was shown.

It was a newspaper article; the headline read 'Grayson's Youngest Star of Haly's Circus' the title wasn't odd, however the picture was. Even though the acrobat in the black-and-white photograph was young it was obvious that it was a girl.

_Maybe she's Dick's grandmother?_ Wally thought. He looked over at the date on the article and nearly fell out of his chair. The article was from 2002, when Dick was 4. Wally started to read.

"_Haly's Circus came to Opal City, and brought with it their youngest performer, Serenity Grayson. Grayson is the youngest preforming acrobat of the Flying Graysons, the circus' main attraction. What makes Grayson so rare is that at the age of nine she is both preforming on the high-wire and trapeze, often without a net._

_When interviewed it was shown that Ms. Grayson is quite humble about her skills saying simply, "I might be good but just wait 'til you see my brother preform with us." _

The rest of the article continued like that, saying more about Serenity and the Flying Graysons. But it was the second page that actually made Wally fall out of his chair after just the headline. When he got back into his chair Wally reread the title; "Tragedy Strikes Haly's Circus with the Loss of the Two Youngest Members." This article was dated in 2005.

"_Yesterday Haly's Circus lost Serenity Grayson and Alexander Haly to a drowning accident. Parents say that both of the twelve-year-olds were swimming in a near river when the current surprised them. Allegedly head injuries caused them to lose consciousness and drown, medical evidence confirms this._

_The families are in distress and did not comment."_

Wally had continued to read and reread the articles until morning.

Present Time:

Wally wanted sleep, but first…

"Uncle Barry!" Wally didn't even know he could run that fast, but he was now in his uncle's house, "We need to call Batman!"

To be continued….

**Ok I promised an update so here it is. I'm sorry to have another TBC but I wouldn't have made the dead-line if not, expect the next chapter soon! This was a little rushed, but I hope it wasn't terrible!**

**Love**

**REVIEW!**

**V**


	17. Secrets in the Batcave

**Ok I'm not entirely sure why having a sister could be dangerous for Robin but Wally does (honestly, parts of the story I can't control)**

**The beginning is terrible, but please bear through it; I'm sorry I rewrote the beginning four times, it just didn't want to work. The ending is much better I promise.**

**Wally's speed talking I separated because I can't stand it when there isn't any separation between speed talked words, hope it still made sense-ish.**

"Uncle Barry!" Wally didn't even know he could run that fast, but he was now in his uncle's house, "We need to call Batman!"

Iris sat bolt upright in bed, the familiar whish of air exiting the room told her that Barry had left as Flash, which wasn't uncommon; but she really wished that evil-doers could at least stop their scheming on the would-be-romantic weekend she was supposed to have, for the seventh time. Iris looked over at the glowing green numbers of the bed-side alarm clock: 6:37. _I'm going back to sleep,_ the redhead decided, being it was too early for her to be up on the weekend.

* * *

><p>"Kid! Why are you here at… 6:30 in the morning?" Barry had a pair of pajama pants on and his hair was a distinct bedhead, further proof of the time.<p>

"We need to call Batman!" Wally didn't look good, well he looked like he'd been up all night, which he had. His freckles had new additions with smudges of dirt, his hair wind-blown, and a slightly insomniac-crazy look to his green eyes.

"Wally first you need sleep, have you been up all night?" Barry looked down at his nephew with concern.

"Yes! But we need to call Batman, he's the only person who might know what to do about this!" Wally said back, he was starting to get a twinge hysterical.

"Why Batman, and know what to do about what?" Barry was trying to reasonable about this, but he was getting more and more confused as this—somewhat repeating—conversation went on.

"Rob, has a sister!" Wally explained, or at least he did in his mind.

"And..? Kid if Robin has a sister, well you know how Bats is about secrets," Barry said, he was somewhat shocked to know that there was another member of the Bat family, and one he hadn't met at that. But, Bats and secrets were very well acquainted, and he was even more protective of the bird.

"NO! Batman doesn't know about her and she's supposed to be dead-she-was-with-Robin-and-they-were-in-Gotham-patroling-but-she-knew-Batman-wouldn't-be-with-him-she's-dead-but-she's-not-and-Rob's-been-keeping-this-from-me!" As Wally reached the end of his not thought out explanation.

"Whoa, what do you mean? If she's supposed to be dead, why is she still alive and why wouldn't Bats know about her?" Barry asked getting a little worried himself, and being a speedster himself had somehow made sense of the long rant his nephew had just said. "And don't hyperventilate this time."

"Her name's Serenity and she staged her death six years ago. Robin knew about it and he's been keeping her a secret, from everyone even Bats, I think," Wally allowed enough time to breathe in-between his words this time.

"Wally I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding, we can go see Batman and check though, just let me get my suit," Barry disappeared for a second and the Flash returned.

Wally was already changed, having somehow remembered he might need it when he ran to his uncle's house.

"It'll be fine," but Barry was getting less and less sure.

* * *

><p>It was the end of the Dark Knight's night, so the Bat returned to his cave successful in his continuing effort to thwart crime in Gotham. When the Batmobile screeched through the last tunnel via its secret entrance it almost hit the two speedsters that accidently had decided to wait in the Batmobile's parking space. The Bat swung himself out of the Batmobile and stalked toward the two yellow and red clad metas in his cave.<p>

"What?" Bruce growled pulling his cowl off, it had been a busy night full of petty crimes, that were still big enough for the Bat to have to intervene, and for once there wasn't an eight o'clock meeting waiting for Bruce Wayne when the Batman finally returned to his life.

"Kid and I needed to talk to you about Robin," Barry said.

Bruce's step took a barely noticeable stumble at the mention of his protégé. He honest wasn't that worried, really. Okay maybe a little.

"What to do with Robin?" the cowl was off but the stoic voice was the most covering.

"He has a sister!" Wally blurted out.

"Dick is an only child, he doesn't have any siblings," Bruce objected coldly.

"No, he has a sister. I saw her last night," Wally objected back.

"Do you have proof?" Bruce wondered when Wally had hit his head.

"Yeah, it's on the computer," Wally sped over to the large computer that dominated the accessible parts of the cave. Barry and Bruce followed, much too slowly for Wally's taste, but when his best friend could be in trouble the speed of light would be too slow.

Bruce turned on the semi-holographic computer and moved over so Wally could get at the keyboard. Wally typed in the URL address for the restricted site he had found and the same red restricted sign popped up. The redhead found the USB port and put the Tech-Bird 1.0 into the port; the Tech-Bird 1.0 was only supposed to be used once but Wally hoped that since this was the same file it would work.

Soon the red restricted sign changed into the bird again before flying off the screen and allowing the page to be shown. Bruce had been scowling at the screen the entire time Wally was working but Barry's expression was more shocked than scowling, although it was a slight mix.

"Kid, how did you do that?" Barry asked.

"Um… Robin gave me this little hacking device and I used it to get past the restricted part of the file," Wally said not meeting his mentor's eye.

Bruce had gone from scowling to glaring at the screen, while the two speedsters had been talking he had started reading.

'**Grayson's Youngest Star of Haly's Circus' **was the title of the top article and Bruce automatically thought of Dick, but then he saw the picture; if the long hair wasn't enough of a gender indication, then the fact that the girl in the photo was nine or ten and Dick was only four according to the date on the heading. Bruce glared harder, how could Dick have kept this a secret? More importantly, why had he?

'**Tragedy Strikes Haly's Circus with the Loss of the Two Youngest Members.' **Bruce's glare turned to a look of shock. _That explains the 'why,' _Bruce thought as he continued to read the article, _another dead family member, I wouldn't have wanted that brought up either._

"Why did you dig into Robin's past to find another tragedy, Wallace?" Bruce's voice slipped into his Scary Batman voice, the one he usually reserved for the worst of Gotham's criminals.

But Wally, somehow, stood his ground, "she's not dead. I saw her with Robin last night."

The sound of metal and glass crashing to the floor echoed in the cave. Three heads whipped around to see Alfred having dropped the tray of tea staring at the screen, shock evident in his features.**(1)**

"How long have you known Richard had a sister Alfred?" the detective asked, seeing a dreaded recognition in Alfred's eyes.

"She helped Master Dick with the trauma, and has occasionally seen him again here at the manor," Alfred said, defeat ringing in the cave.

Barry and Wally had both been stunned speechless by the information as well as the exchange between Bruce and Alfred, a great feat for speedsters.

"WHERE. IS. SHE?" The Dark Knight growled.

"She… Ms. Cee is with Master Roy, I believe," Alfred said slowly; for once he looked his own age, as if after keeping this secret for so long finally telling someone wore him down.

Bruce didn't say anything, he just stood and stalked back in the direction of the Batmobile. As he walked he pulled his cowl back up, looking scarier than ever.

"Uh, Bruce where are you going?" Barry asked regaining his voice.

"Star City," he growled back.

"Master Bruce, I must insist that you wait for Master Dick to explain himself,"

Alfred objected. Bruce didn't even pause, jumping into the Batmobile a second later.

No one spoke as the sounds of the revving engine filled the cave. Alfred stared at the Batmobile as it sped away a mix of shock and horror mixing on his face.

The two speedsters glanced at each other deciding what to do, Wally already had.

The staring lasted a second more, before Wally spoke. "I need to know what happens."

"No—" Alfred tried to object, but before he could the two whipped out of the cave.

* * *

><p>The phone at Lawson Park started to ring, and the weirdly unprovoked laughter only teenagers could produce stopped as the four teens in the room stared at the phone.<p>

"I'll get it!" the older boy with the dark-blonde hair shouted trying to run towards the ringing phone, but he was intercepted by a fluffy pillow hitting him in the back.

"It's my house," Alice Lawson said to her best friend stepping around him to get the phone.

"I live here too."

"Only because you couldn't be trusted by yourself while your parents are gone," the boy sat back down, muttering, as Alice picked up the phone.

"Hello, Lawson residence," Alice said in her 'perfectly-polite-daughter' voice in case it was a business associate for Lawson Inc.

"Ms. Lawson I have to speak with Master Richard, I'm afraid it urgent," the English accented voice responded.

"Of course," Alice said, if Alfred was so frantic to not be his usually 'manners-are-God' self then something must really be wrong. She politely covered the mouthpiece before calling the ebony-haired teen "Dick, it's for you."

Richard raised an eyebrow as he got up from the floor that was littered with pop, pizza, and candy left over from last night; after hanging out with Cee he had dropped off his costume at the Batcave and sped to Lawson Parks, he was going to spend some time with Ali, her best friend Apollo, and Apollo's younger sister Tess. Alice and Apollo were always a riot, and it was nice to not have to act for once when he was with Tess; they both knew both Alice's secret and Dick's and the would never betray them. Robin had spent the night, Alice shared the house with Maggie, Apollo, and Tess, the latter two staying with the only adult that would have them under her supervision while their parents took the world on business, and Robin was happy to spend some time as Dick instead of Richard or Robin.

"Alfred," Alice whispered to the younger as she gave him the phone.

"Alfred, what's up? Problem with Bruce's patrol?" Dick asked as he took the phone.

"Master Dick, Bruce, Wallace, and Barry found out about your sister."

**Haha cliffy… again. But I already have the next chapter up so never fear, you shall not fall off the cliffy. A/N will be at end of next chapter so you don't have to wait.**

**(1): I stole this scene from Batman: Under the Red Hood, it's my favorite scene from the greatest animated Batman movie I've ever seen. If you like this story you should check it out.**


	18. The Fight

**Hey, it's Chapter 18! My longest chapter ever! **

**I not how much I explained that was understandable so in some of this there might be repeats of explanations, just a warning.**

**On to the good stuff~**

**P.S. Please don't let the explanation of Cee's powers confuse you, I'm not sure what I could do to make it clearer.**

It was a peaceful morning in Star City, even in the parts of the city that attracted _a lot _of crime. Roy was glad it was quiet, even though he still lived in Star City he didn't bother to patrol anymore it was Speedy's former City, not Red Arrow's. The only reason he hadn't moved out of Star by now was because he wanted to at least finish the semester at SCU before he dropped for good, hero work and collage just didn't mix.

He had woken up at five after a nightmare and hadn't felt the need to go back to sleep so he had grabbed a shower and started the new coffee maker. Another girlfriend—ex-girlfriend, have found Cee's clothes, Roy was left wondering if all psycho exes hated coffee makers.

It had actually worked out that he had gotten up so early, Cee wanted to crash at his place and would have kicked him off the bed if he hadn't already been up. Maybe she would have just crashed in the armchair, but then again… It really was good that the bed had been free, when Cee had knocked at 5:11 AM she was a little worse for wear. A shallow cut was under her left eye, five of her ribs had been cracked, and along with the multiple bruises she had managed to get a bullet in her left arm.

Roy had helped her with wounds that she couldn't reach, making her look like a mummy with the tan gauze wrapped around her torso and arm, and she finished with a small stich to the cut that was a lot deeper than it looked; Roy had told her to go to bed after all that could be done to speed things along had been done, her accelerated healing already helping with the injuries.

This kind of situation occurred way too often, Cee'd get into a fight with Alex when he was in psycho mode and then she'd get out numbered when his goons showed up; then she'd be patching herself up just to do it all over again. It was not, as one would assume, the best course of action.

Roy remembered a night when she'd explained, among other thing, why she always did the stupid thing.

_Roy had gotten back from Taipei an hour ago, he had practically parachuted out of the plane as soon as it was in city limits he was so anxious to get back to his apartment. This mole business was going to come back and bite everyone in the ass, Roy just knew it. More than that the assassin was bothering him, not in the 'trying-to-kill-you' way, but in the fact that Roy couldn't figure out if she'd _actually _been just taunting him or if she _actually_ was flirting; the worse part of this conundrum was that Roy wasn't sure which answer he wouldn't like, or worser still, the one he wouldn't hate._

_All he wanted was to sit down on the couch drink something cold to clear his head and then go to bed, was that so much to ask? Apparently so. _

_The second Roy opened to door to his apartment he knew there someone else in the shabby apartment. He almost pulled his bow out again until he saw the recognizable head pop over the counter top._

"_Hey, welcome back,' Cee told him._

"_What are you doing here?" he asked as he pushed the door closed with his foot and walked toward the counter top._

"_Housesitting," was her one worded reply._

"_This isn't a house it's a termite dwelling that you decided to repair and fumigate."_

"_And you love me because you no longer have bed bugs. You also love me because I cook, give you company, and occasionally clean this pigsty up," Roy was peering over the countertop now and saw the brunette fishing for something using only her arm._

"_What are you doing?" _

"_Oh yeah, I dropped one of your frying pans down the air duct," she was still fishing around in the vent, apparently for a frying pan._

"_Wha— you know what, that doesn't really faze me as much as it used to. I do have a question though: how did you manage to get a frying pan in the air duct?"_

"_Found it!" she shouted standing with the, very dusty, frying pan in her left hand and the other braced against the counter. "It's kind of a funny story really, I dropped it on my foot so then I kicked it and it decided to slide into the air duct."_

"_Only you Cee, only you… and possibly Ali. Just wash it before you put it back," Roy said giving up and going to sit on the couch._

"_Got cha.' Have fun nearly exploding in Taipei?" she asked turning on the water in the sink._

"_Not really, it was on the news?"_

"_Yep, Cheshire seems to like you," she replied rinsing the soap off the pan._

"_Jealous Babe?" he joked, as soon as Cee had started using his apartment as her personal hotel, they had a lot more jokes about how much they looked like a couple._

"_Of course I am!" Cee growled in her 'Valley-Girl' voice, "How could you? And an assassin? I thought you outgrew your bad-girl phase by now, am I just not good enough for you? That's it Harper! We're through!"_

_Roy looked over the back of the couch. Cee was trying to keep the furious look on her face, but with the smirk she was fighting it didn't look as convincing as her previous performance had been._

_She finally broke, her shoulders shaking as she laughed at her little charade, Roy joining her after a minute. It was the fact that Cee could make Roy laugh, he was a serious person, he had to be; first when he was Alice's role model and again when he was Speedy, slowly it had just attached to his personality. But Cee somehow made him laugh, a distinct advantage from growing up in the circus._

_Cee moved toward the fridge, keeping her weight on the counter. She looked around the fridge for a minute before speaking again, "You want Pepsi or Sprite?"_

"_Sprite," Roy said back, Ali always called it cannibalism whenever she saw him with the soda, "which leg did you break?"_

"_Left," Cee said as she chucked the soda can at him._

"_Thanks," Roy took a sip of the carbonated liquid before prying, "what did you get into this time?"_

"_Usual, torture after I slipped up," she said like it was a perfectly normal occurrence to be tortured by a set of psychopaths every other day._

_Roy looked at the girl as she made her way to the couch, it gave him plenty of time to look as Cee wasn't moving very fast. He saw her using the furniture as a crutch when she could and grimacing when she couldn't; it was only part of the problem that she was too proud for crutches or a wheelchair, the other being that she healed so quickly it rarely did any good to take up the space._

_She set herself on the couch, making sure that nothing bumped her damaged leg. Roy debated grabbing the remote, but he decided getting answers were more important. _

_It had started with Eggos. Cee and Robin had come to visit and Cee got completely enraged when she found out that Roy couldn't cook and had been living off the frozen waffles and McDonalds. From then on if she didn't want to go back to her place she'd crash at Roy's apartment and make him breakfast and some food for the rest of the week, it worked as a mutual compromise. She only rarely came over in the beginning, but when she began to trust Roy a little more she would come by even if she was injured._

_However it was getting to a point where it seemed that Cee couldn't go a day without needing some kind of first aid, and Roy wanted to get some answers. The most pressing issue being that she was still seeing Alex, even though becoming a Statera had damaged his mentality, according to Cee his sanity would occasionally return and they'd be back to the relationship that had flared after they had ran away._

"_Why do you keep going back to Alex if half the time he's tormenting you?" _

_Cee didn't say anything as if she hadn't heard him, but by the way her body had tensed Roy knew she had heard. Cee finally sighed and gave him an answer, "I still love him, and it's my fault that his mentality is so damaged."_

_A few months ago Roy had asked her how her powers worked. When Roy had looked at her like she was speaking Russian the first way she had tried to explain how her powers worked and how she was a meta when Robin wasn't, Cee had tried a different angle._

_Statera was like a parasite infecting a host and taking what it wanted, she had explained; the reason that only one of the two Statera was insane was because if the 'parasite' was accidently infected on a new host it set off a power that, for lack of a better term, short-circuited mentality. There were only two full powered Statera at one time—Scarlet being a complete abnormality was not to be counted in this equation mind you—one of them had been given the power by the previous host (Cee)and the other had been accidently infected by the new host (Alex)._

_It was a very odd coincidence when it turned out that Maggie, Alice's guardian, was the previous host and had met Mr. and Mrs. Grayson giving Cee the power before she was born; another part of the Statera was that the younger the given host was, the easier time they would have adjusting to their mentality, the given effect was much softer than the infected one._

"_It's not your fault," Roy objected, not knowing that she'd already had this fight with herself a thousand times._

"_Then who caused him to lose his sanity? Who gave him the power to be a super villain? Who separated him from his family and home when he was thirteen? Then who's to blame? Tell me," she said not looking at the redhead instead finding the appearance of her right hand crushing the other in a vice-grip more interesting. _

"_Cee, you had no idea that any of the side effects of being a Statera would affect him, _you_ didn't even know you were a Statera until you had infected him," another part of the Statera, the full powers didn't show until there was an infected Statera to balance the other out, "as for the running away, he chased after you, _you _didn't do anything to make him follow you."_

"_Who would have thought? Roy Harper actually making me feel better instead of being a complete pessimist about it."_

"_Hush, Babe."_

"_You know, we would be perfect for each other. If only we didn't have such bad taste."_

"_I'm insulted."_

"_I meant that we just can't get away from liking the opposite side."_

"_I don't… wait you actually meant what you said about Cheshire?"_

"_You didn't notice?" Cee finally looked at the redhead, "I could see the friction between you even with the crappy signal this place gets."_

"_Of course I noticed, I'd have to be deaf not to. I just kinda hoped that she was working an angle," Roy said his voice back to its usual stoic with a hint of annoyance tone._

"_Sorry, but you're in the same Arrow Boat as I am."_

"_I knew it was a bad idea to tell you what happened with Dr. Roquette."_

* * *

><p>After Cee had been squared away it was six in the morning and Roy's coffee had gotten cold, so after starting a new batch he decided to work on improving his Zip-line arrow, it had been tilting to the left so that meant the balance was off. He grabbed the screwdriver and his quiver from the fake wall before sitting down near the couch and flipping on the morning news. The clock on the news said it was 6:12 AM when he started to work, but by the time he looked up again the clock read 6:47 AM.<p>

_Well, didn't expect to spend so much time on that,_ he thought to himself picking up the remote and turning the static filled news off, _but I finally fixed the balance on the stupid arrow._ The only thing Roy missed about being Speedy was that there was an unlimited supply of trick arrows when they got back to their house.

It was at that moment that hell decided to occupy earth, or at least the small apartment.

Roy was on his feet only a millisecond after the door was kicked down, bow already in hand and arrow drawn.

* * *

><p>The tires of the Batmobile gripped the pavement under it throwing the car forward well past the speed limit. If it had been anyone else behind the wheel they would have crashed a long time ago, slipping on the frost that was already on the road, despite it only being the beginning of November.<p>

Bruce was almost in Star City limits when the speedsters caught up to the car. Batman saw them immediately in the mirrors of the Batmobile, but he had a bigger problem than prohibiting the speedsters to follow. The girl—for Bruce didn't want to call her anything else—was supposed to be dead and needed to explain herself and her secrecy; not that Bruce didn't understand secrecy, his entire night-life depended on secrecy, but if Robin hadn't told him then it was under her rules, it had to be.

The streets of Star City weren't as familiar to Bruce as the streets of Gotham were, but he made it a practice to know the whereabouts of the other members of the superhero community lived, so the Batmobile never paused as it raced towards the apartment of Roy Harper. It didn't slow the speedsters either as they were simply following the Batmobile. When the black car abruptly stopped Wally and Barry nearly ran into it, the doors instantly opened and Batman launched himself from the inside of the sleek vehicle stalking toward the door.

Luckily it was too early for the smart residents to be outside, the scummier residents of the city liked to hide in the back alleys until someone worth mugging came along this early in the morning. The extremely scummy residents were plotting in there stereotypical warehouses, the rats in the alleys reported to them so they had no reason to be out either.

The front door had a broken lock that the landlord always assured worked, and if someone had tested it the answer changed to he was going to replace it later that day; suffice to say, the tenants made sure there apartments had good locks. It was good for the lock that it was already broken because if it hadn't been then it would have been broken by the Batman's foot, which you can imagine, is not a nice way for locks to die. No one was in the lobby to be scared by the furious superhero stalking in, so there were no heart attacks.

Batman ignored the elevator, and head towards the stairs. As soon as he entered the stairwell he fired one of his grappling hooks and shot up between the break in the center of the stairs. Bruce stopped on the fifth floor, Roy's floor, and entered the hallway for that floor.

* * *

><p>Barry and Wally came into the lobby to see the ends of Batman's cape disappear through the door for the stairs. The two races into the stairwell after him and ran up the stairs fast enough to catch up to Batman as he entered the fifth floor. The man didn't even look at them, he was too focused on his task, however the speedsters didn't doubt for a millisecond that Batman knew they were there.<p>

Batman stalked through the hallway until they reached apartment 5-B; Barry didn't even know that Roy was still living in Star City, much less what apartment he was in, but that's the Batman for you. Batman stared at the door for a minute, and Barry thought for a second that Batman was going to knock. That's when he kicked the door into the apartment.

He continued into the apartment and when Barry looked through the doorframe he saw Roy wearing a pair of pajama pants still pointing a strung arrow at Batman, who continued further into the apartment. Wally ran around Barry and into the apartment staring at Roy. When Barry walked into the room at a human speed, closing the door behind him, Roy had finally started to lower his bow.

"Roy, Robin has a sister!" Wally shouted. Roy didn't say anything, but his blue eyes widened and his scowl deepened.

Wally's eyes widened as he finally understood what it meant when Alfred had said that Serenity was at Roy's apartment, "Dude, you knew!"

* * *

><p>Batman ignored Roy, and headed towards the bedroom in the apartment. He heard the two speedsters speaking with Green Arrow's former partner as he made his way, but it didn't matter enough for him to turn around. When he reached the bedroom door Flash had come up behind him.<p>

Batman didn't need to kick the bedroom door down, it wasn't locked. He gripped the door handle in a crushing grip, turning the handle so it wouldn't be stopped when he pushed on it. He didn't pause, he needed answers and he needed to have them _now._ The door hit the wall inside the bedroom as hard as if it had been kicked open. Batman saw the still form on the bed for barely a millisecond before that still form wasn't so still.

The dagger made a humming 'twang' when it hit the wall only centimeters from Batman's head. The girl had been lying on her side with her back towards him when he had opened the door, but now she had propped herself on her right arm so she could throw the dagger at him. Her reflective-silver eyes glared at him, her left arm had returned to her side placed so she could throw the second dagger she had at him if need be.

"We need to talk," Batman growled at the brunette.

Her glare didn't falter under his, if anything it hardened, "Are you going to leave so I can get dressed or do you want to barge into that as well?"

Batman glared harder, but he left the room making sure to leave the door open so she wouldn't try to get away. Flash followed him as he returned to the main room where the two teenagers were glaring at each other. Wally was obviously feeling betrayed and Roy was stoic, neither saying anything. Until Wally did what you can always depend on speedsters to do, he broke the silence.

"You _knew? _And you didn't think to mention it?" Wally glared at the older redhead.

Roy remained silent with his arms folded.

"Kid, maybe we should hear the explanation first?" Barry wasn't so sure that anyone was to _blame, _specifically, but he did want an explanation as to why and how this was kept a secret, though maybe not as badly as Bruce and Wally did.

"Sure, I'd _love_ to hear how you can justify this," Wally growled.

"Why do I have to _justify _keeping a secret that wasn't mine?" Roy growled back, finally speaking.

"You shouldn't have kept a secret that could have hurt Dick!"

"Why would having a sister hurt him? The only problem that could have arisen from this is you finding out and being mad at Dick. Well, problem arisen."

"This wasn't your secret to keep Roy," Batman growled his posture mimicking Roy's.

"Making it not my secret to _tell,_ either."

That awkward silence returned, seeping into the room without any white noise to cushion it. Roy glared at Batman, while he and Wally glared back leaving Barry to flit his gaze from one group to the other group of one.

"Why didn't you inform me of this Roy?" Batman growled out after another minute of silence.

"Because I asked him not to," the girl had just walked into the room fully dressed in a red top and dark-blue jeans. She had stopped behind the kitchen's island counter, looking at the men in the apartment's main room. Roy's frown deepened, Dick had been the one to ask him not to tell, Cee hadn't ever said anything. "I'm the one to blame here." Ah, she was protecting her little brother from getting blamed for keeping the secret, knowing Dick that wasn't going to last long.

"We were already blaming you," Wally snapped at her.

"What is your name?" The question was growled from the clenched teeth of the Batman.

She hesitated, to decide if she should answer honestly or not; she decided, "Serenity Mary Grayson."

Batman's glare did the impossible, it hardened; he was glaring so greatly that one would had believed his eyes had to have fully closed behind the cowl.

For the second time that morning the front door was kicked open. The poor abused piece of wood slammed into the wall with a long bang. There was a slightly-winded Dick Grayson standing in the doorframe.

"STOP SLAMMING THE GODDAMN DOOR!" the voice of the tenant in 5-C yelled from behind his own closed door. He was notorious for having a hangover every other morning, so the fact that he would yell across the hall to stop making so much noise made perfect sense to him.

Dick looked behind him after the man yelled, the other occupants of the room following his gaze. Dick stepped into the room closing the door, softly, behind him. Wally and Batman's glares focused on the younger ebony as he walked towards them.

"_It's safe to assume that they know, (Romani, Dick, Cee)?" _Dick asked the girl from across the room.

Cee nodded, _"We couldn't have kept this a secret forever, he's _the B_atman, (Romani, Dick, Cee)."_

"_I was kinda hoping we could, (Romani, Dick, Cee)."_

"Robin, explain," Batman growled, using the boy's superhero name to show how upset he was.

"What is there to explain? I have a sister, she's supposed to be dead, you didn't know about her, now you do. Anything else?" Robin bit back, more than a little peeved that Bruce had found out, and that he was so mad.

"Robin," Cee said softly, begging him not to start a fight.

At her saying his name Wally whipped his glare back to the older Grayson. Bruce was still glaring at Robin, Barry's glance was still flitting, and Roy's glares were on Wally's back.

"Quit that," Dick snapped at Wally.

His head whipped back to the smaller ebony, "What? You want to explain why you've been lying to me sense we met? 'Cause I'm listening!"

"I didn't… It wasn't like that. So I kept this to myself, so what? I'm not allowed to have something to myself?"

"You didn't keep this to yourself! You told Roy! You didn't trust anyone else but you told _him?" _the older redhead was slightly offended but didn't say anything.

"I had to, and you wouldn't have kept it a secret!"

"Haven't I been keeping your identity a secret for the past three years? This is just another part of that, so why wouldn't I have kept it a secret?"

"This is why! The fact that you ran to Bruce, that you freaked out about it, that's why I couldn't trust you!" Wally recoiled as if Dick had hit him.

"Robin, you should have told me. It secrets like this that make partnerships fall apart," Bruce stepped in.

"If I'd have told you, you wouldn't have let me see her, you couldn't be trusted either!" Dick yelled at his mentor.

Batman didn't recoil, he stood in all of his stoic glory for long enough for Robin to take it back, then he walked away. Wally shook his head in Dick direction before following.

Barry was still shocked into silence, he could see the regret on Dick's face but he could also see the anger. Dick wanted to take it back, but he was too mad for what Wally and Bruce had accused him of.

"Dick," she said again, softer this time, apologetic. Barry stood in the room for a minute before he felt something needed to be said.

"It… it was nice to meet you, Serenity," Barry said, apology in his own voice.

The brunette turned her head toward the older speedster, "Likewise. I finally get to meet the hero behind the stories, I wish it had been under different circumstances though."

Barry offered a weak smile, this had spiraled out of control, and he had let it. Her voice was even more apologetic when she spoke again, "Call me Cee if you would. I hate to be rude but could we have some privacy, please?"

"Of course," Barry said quickly running out the door and closing it behind him. He raced back down the stairs and out to the street. Both the Batmobile and his nephew were long sense gone. Barry sighed and ran towards Central.

* * *

><p>Robin sat on the couch and put his head in his hands, he was feeling guilty about what he had said to Wally and Bruce. Cee had folded her arms on the counter and had laid her head on them, feeling guilty about the pain Dick was going through. Roy looked between the two of them.<p>

"Shit."

"That sums it up," Cee said, her voice muffled from her arms. Robin looked like he nodded.

This was going to be hell before it got better.

**I'm not sure how I did with the fight scene, but I did the best I could think of to get the result I wanted.**

**If you have any questions about anything I didn't make clear in this chapter (i.e. Cee' powers, I know how they work but a lot of the time the explanation of what's in my head can be confusing) **_**please**_**PM me or leave a review with your question I'd be happy to answer!**

**Story Note: (I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself but I couldn't remember if I had already said this or just thought it out in my head) When I was thinking of the storyline for this, before I actually started writing, Roy was supposed to be Cee's love interest, but then I found out about the sparks between Roy and Cheshire (at least that's the story in the original comics) and I loved that friction so I created Alex and the supposed-to-be simple powers that Cee had morphed into this complex duo thing.**

**If you're not going to read my long thought out A/N, at least review.**

**A/N: the explanation for the long wait: there's two parts of it, the first is that over the last week I was in Hawai'i (Yes readers who live in the snowy places, be jealous, be very jealous. Hehe sorry we get a decent amount of snow where I live and it was the first time I wore shorts since I was in elementary school) and had no internet access, as well as not having a single moment to myself so I could write (until the six hour delay on the flight coming home, I had them both then); the second part of the story being that before we went to Hawai'i I had a little emotional crisis and could write nothing but depressing poetry, and not very long poems which is usually the only good about being sad.**

**But to make up for it I gave you two new chapters, which I've been dying to write since the beginning of the story. This was by far the chapter I think of as my best, I need to know what you thought of it so please review!**

**Come on, you know you want to.**

**V**


	19. Birds, Bombs, and Another Fight

**First: I need to warn you that there is a small reference to Artemis' family (a spoiler if you haven't seen Homefront). Also to do with Artemis, I think she'd be the type to cuss a little more than the rest of the team, I meant to mention that before… oops. ^.^ My bad.**

**Second: I'm sooo so so sorry this took so long, and after the week I've had (coupled with the last few months) I'm expecting a full head of grey hair by the time I turn 15.**

**Third: I have yet to include Zatanna who I feel terrible for, losing her dad, poor girl. She might or might not miraculously appear as a full part of this mission in the next chapter.**

**Fourth: Enjoy!**

Three days. It had been three days since I found out about Robin's betrayal.

I had crashed when I finally got back to my house, I didn't want to think about to think about what had happened and for once had a dreamless night. Uncle Barry came around and tried to get me to go patrolling with him, I was up for the distraction until I found out that he wanted to talk about what happened with Robin. I had been spending the last two days at the cave after that.

I hadn't heard from Batman, he hadn't been by the cave and the League didn't mention anything when they occasionally stopped by the mountain. I had spent most of the time in my room in the cave if I wasn't eating, I really didn't feel like spending so much time with the team if there wasn't someone else with my sense of humor to displace Blondie.

It smelled like Megs had made another batch of cookies so I left my haphazardly messy room for the kitchen. The cookies were only half burned this time, so I didn't care how much my tongue was burning by stuffing one in, and grabbing another.

"Nice Kid Glutton," Speak of the she-devil.

"Vuv fy faving a nvigh ffusalioulasm," this meant "you try having a high metabolism" in cookie-in-mouth.

"No clue what you just said, but I don't want to risk losing brain cells by asking you to repeat it."

"You're like Rapunzel's evil twin," I told the blonde as Aqualad and Superboy came into the kitchen.

"You've completely overused the Rapunzel jokes, Baywatch," she growled back.

"Kid Flash, Artemis please is the fighting truly necessary?" Aqualad asked.

"I don't know ask Blondie," I told him.

"Don't freaking call me Blondie!"

"Kid, Artemis, enough. This has gotten out of hand, if you disagree with each other that is to be accepted, but this constant bickering has gone too far. It needs to stop," it was weird to see Aqualad angry, we were used to seeing him as our peaceful calm leader. I glared at the she-devil for a few more seconds before giving up and flopping on the couch.

"Wally… you seem… upset, are you alright?" Megan asked from her spot behind the island.

"Fine," I sighed into the couch, somehow I had ended up face down in the green sofa.

"What? Your time of month again?" I hate her.

"Artemis, please," Aqualad said, sounding more defeated than angry now.

"Oh come on, I'm not even this moody."

"Wally you really don't seem fine, are you sure you're okay?" Megilicious asked like the angel she is.

"Problem with Robin," I shrugged back.

"Oh, nothing serious, I hope."

"M'gann it is not our place to pry into their friendship," Kaldur politely reprimanded the Martian.

"He betrayed us," I mumbled into the couch; I hadn't planned to say anything, it had just slipped out. Luckily my confession was so quiet that I had barely heard it. If only it wasn't for the damn super-hearing.

"'He betrayed us?' How did Robin betray us?" Superboy asked speaking for the first time.

I swear the temperature in the cave dropped ten degrees, only to spike up twenty when I remembered that I was pissed at the younger ebony. _The traitor,_ my mind corrected me. I jerked up, unconsciously using my super-speed to get up in a position on the couch where I could see my team, "_How did he betray us? _He lied to me. Apparently little mister I'm-too-good-for-anyone-to-know-anything-about-me decided it was a perfectly peachy idea to keep the fact that he had a sister from Batman, the entire League, and me! And it would be a great idea to only tell Roy, who kept it a secret from everyone as well!"

Everyone in the room was staring at me, and they all had the same expression on their faces: shock. I was glaring at no one in particular, just mad about the betrayal. Kaldur, unsurprisingly, was the first one to recover.

"Robin has a sister?" he asked to clarify.

"A secret sister," I growled back.

"Kid Flash, if Robin had a sister it would pertain to keeping his identity a secret that he didn't tell you."

I couldn't exactly _tell _them that I knew Robin's secret identity, because that could lead to them wanting to know what his identity _was_. "He didn't just keep it a secret from me, he kept it from Batman. But he told ROY!"

"Kid—" Aqualad started, but then Blondie decided to butt-in.

"So! He had a family secret, big deal! We all have secrets, especially in our families. Is having a sister dangerous to anyone? Is it?" Artemis was seething, for no apparent reason what-so-ever.

I had a reason, and if we hadn't been interrupted then I would have told her. Really.

"Report to the training room immediately," Red Tornado's animatronic voice rang through the room.

I jumped off the couch and sped into the training room, leaving the rest of the team to follow. Two seconds later I was in the training room, Red Tornado and Black Canary were standing in the middle of the room waiting for the Team. The other members of the team entered the room a few minutes later, and I didn't say anything more on Robin's sister.

Canary waited until we were all in the room before she began speaking, "We know that you haven't had a mission in a while and, even though Batman doesn't have an official mission for you, we do need you to help protect Dr. Sinta. The doctor is an esteemed government scientist and has been working in Happy Harbor on a new invention; unfortunately this new invention has gotten the attention of some less-than-desirable people. The League is worried that someone will try to steal his invention while it is still in Happy Harbor, and sending an official member would arise too much attention, which is why it would be the perfect mission for your team."

"Another babysitting job?" Conner growled.

"No," Canary responded, "Dr. Sinta has already left for Washington D.C. it's his invention that needs protection."

"We would be honored to accept the mission," Kaldur said.

"You will only need to guard the invention for tonight, in the morning it will be transported to Washington," Red Tornado informed them.

"Here are the blueprints of the lab you will be protecting," Canary said handing the papers to Kaldur.

"I'll go wake the bioship," M'gann said speeding off in the direction of the hanger.

Back Canary and Red Tornado continued to give Aqualad the details of the mission, Conner followed after M'gann, leaving me with Artemis. She turned to me and opened those pretty-pink lips of hers. Wait, _pretty-pink lips _where the hell did that come from.

"Wally what really happened with you and R—"

I know it was rude, I know, but I didn't want to talk about what happened with Robin, especially with Artemis; so before she could finish I left. I already knew where the science lab was, and I didn't want to spend the ride with the rest of the Team; I'd have to deal with the side-glances enough when we guarded the lab tonight.

* * *

><p>The five teenagers were spread out around the lab, mapping the perimeter. Wolf hadn't been allowed to join the Team, this was a mainly surveillance mission and Wolf didn't like to sit still for a long time so it would have been unfair to drag the canine along.<p>

Wally had checked already checked the second level of the two-story building by the time the rest of the team had arrived. The sweep of the first level showed that the invention was being housed under the lab in the extensive basement that was where the actual inventing took place. Fortunately, if there was going to be trouble most of the equipment that had been in the lab was already in Washington.

Aqualad decided to have the team stay in the underground lab, it wouldn't do any good for the enemy to see that the weapon was under protection because then they would try to steal the invention when in was in D.C. and under less protection. The part Kid Flash had been dreading came much too soon when the mental link and the size of the lab, it was extensive for a lab but those were small on average, forced the team to be close to each other.

Artemis was still seething, and it's debatable that she had the right to, but had decided to change the game and give Kid Flash the silent treatment. Along with the silent treatment the blonde archer was sitting as far away from the speedster as the lab space would allow.

The other members of the team were pacing the lab, triple-checking for any security risks, and doing their best to stay as far away so that when the calm before the storm finally ended they were not between the two hot heads; Superboy may have been bulletproof but he wasn't invulnerable enough to take _that _type of cross fire.

_The room is secure, _Aqualad assured the team.

_What do we do now? _Miss Martian asked.

_We need to stay and make sure no one gets past the security alarms, _Aqualad responded.

_Do we even know what we're protecting? _Superboy growled.

_Black Canary informed me that it was a new experiment that Dr. Sinta has been spending the last five years of research working on._

_So we don't actually know what it is? _Artemis thought back. Kid Flash glared at her from the other side of the room.

_No, _Kaldur responded as Artemis returned Kid Flash's glare.

_Why didn't Black Canary tell us? _Miss Martian asked.

_It was my understanding that she didn't know, _Kaldur responded.

_Well Baywatch you're the science geek. You have any idea what he was building? _Artemis asked with a venomous bite, cue class five hurricane.

_No _Rapunzel_, I DON'T, _Kid growled back with even more bite.

_Just because you and Robin are having a bitch fight doesn't mean you have to be a pain in the ass to everyone else! _Is there a higher class than five? Huston we have a level seven fight.

_Don't you dare—_

ENOUGH! _Kid Flash, despite any dispute you might have with Robin we are on a mission and that needs to be the first priority, _Aqualad thought at Kid Flash.

Kid Flash couldn't hold the conversation in his head anymore, "Fine! Mission comes first I get it, but he _lied _to us! He betrayed us! He said _he didn't trust us_! For all we know Robin could be the mole!"

"I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that you found out about Birdie's family ties," an unwelcome voice said. The team whipped around to face Blood Ruby wearing her silver cloak, her body was completely covered but her head was visible as the hood was down.

They settled into fighting stances and drew their respective weapons. The girl tilted her head to the side with a slight frown, "is it so necessary to fight?"

"You are here to steal Dr. Sinta's new invention," Aqualad objected.

"True. I suppose that would be a reason to pick a fight, however your quarrel with Birdie has suddenly become _so _much more interesting."

"Who says quarrel… wait! How did you know that Robin has a sister?" Kid Flash shouted at the smaller redhead.

"Know thy enemy," Blood responded without batting an eye. "I am relatively sure that you found out without Birdie telling you himself, correct?"

Wally stepped forward like he was going to start yelling again, but Aqualad put out a hand to stop him and spoke instead, "Why would you assume that?"

"If he had told you of his own accord then you wouldn't be accusing him of treachery."

Kid's frown deepened, "You should know, Robin's been the one feeding you information, hasn't he?"

Blood's left eyebrow raised a fraction of an inch, "That would be the one part of your shouted monologue that I couldn't grasp."

Aqualad took over again, "When I fought Sportsmaster in Taipei he alluded to a mole on the Team."

_Why are we telling her this? _Artemis shouted into the mental link.

_If she was not already aware, Blood Ruby may let something slip about the identity of the mole now that we have brought it up; if there is a mole at all, _Aqualad responded.

"Hm, sorry to disappoint lovelies, but I have no information on a leak. I thought we got our information from actually listening to each other for once," the girl shrugged, "it was in best interest, though, if your team has a mole to not have informed me of their identity."

"Why, you can't be trusted?" Artemis snapped at the redhead, though not the one she usual yelled at.

"Actually Archeress, you're correct. I have made a reputation of being a turncoat. If the side I work with betrays me, or I simply get bored, then I give their opposition any secret they were foolish enough to give me." Blood smirked back.

_Is… is she serious? _M'gann asked.

_I believe so. Superboy, Blood is rarely alone, use your infrared vision to try to find out if she has any accomplices, _Aqualad responded.

_That'll do nothing if her accomplices aren't human, anyone remember her little M.O.N.Q.I. friends the first time we met the psycho? _Kid Flash thought to the other members.

_It's the best chance we've got_, Artemis told him.

"You should be more careful. If I had been interested in attacking you lovelies your little mental conversation would have been _such _a beautiful opportunity to strike, and you'd have never seen it coming," the villainess purred.

"Why would you give us this advice?" Kaldur asked.

"It makes for an interesting game."

"This is all a game to you?" Artemis shouted, furious.

"Yes and no, lovely. I just happen to have been around long enough to like being in control of the board, so I suppose I call it a game, only to the extent that there are many pieces and many ways to win."

"Nobody cares what you call it, if knew Robin had a sister then he _is_ the mole!" Kid Flash shouted at Blood.

"There is no need for so much yelling on a _covert _mission, is there lovelies? As for your statement, tell me you're not that thick. I can promise you, if your precious team had a mole, it is not Robin."

"Why should we trust you?" Superboy growled the question running through the entire team's minds.

"For the simple reason that believing me, is not a matter of trusting me but trusting your teammate."

Suffice to say the team was a little shell shocked. Soon enough they came to, Aqualad—who seemed to have a knack for this kind of thing—was the first to speak… again, "Wise words."

"You spend a few hundred years with some of the greatest minds and you'll find an annoying few gains of wisdom hidden amongst your incoherent chatter," Blood informed them with a smirk.

"Not that we're not grateful, but why are you helping us?" Miss Martian asked timidly.

"Ah, good I was worried the resident Martian was mute for a while," Blood's smirk grew with her taunt, but she continued before Superboy could rip her apart like he was dying to, "The reason I'm helping you? I told you, your team has become _so_ _very_ intriguing, enough for me to divulge myself back into the world of black and white to find what makes you tick. And I'm happy to offer some friendly advice now and then, testing and training you in between all the while."

"I'm not even going to ask," Artemis said, staring at the girl in shock. _Okay I lied, what the hell does she mean?_

_I believe she is derogatorily referring to the superhero life, _Aqualad replied.

"Aqualad," Ruby called raising the team from their shock, "You were half-right when you suspected me of coming to the lab to steal Dr. Sinta's invention. The half comes from the fact that I already had taken the invention." Blood lifted her arm from the confines of the silver cloak and showed the team a metal sphere the size of a volleyball.

"How..?" Kid Flash stuttered.

"Never-mind that. Here," Blood replied tossing the sphere to Superboy, who caught it before it even came near the ground. "Kryptonian reflexes, good. I'd be careful with that."

"You stole this, why give it back?" Superboy questioned her.

"And what is it?" Miss Martian added.

"I'm finished with it, and you became more interesting than that little bomb," she replied.

"Bomb?" Kid Flash shouted looking at the sphere like it was about to bite him.

"Dr. Sinta was a _government _scientist lovelies, what did you think he was making?"

_It _does _make sense, _Artemis confessed.

"Why would the League have us protect a bomb?" Miss Martian said, more to herself than anything, unfortunately this would have a better _mental_ question.

"They didn't know. Dr. Sinta was a secretive man; he requested protection of his invention, I doubt he intended the Justice League to be providing that protection. Superboy? You can stop holding the bomb like its active, the casing would protect it even if you decided to use it as a volleyball… well maybe not you, but as long as you don't follow on the urge to thwack the bomb around you'll be fine."

"Why should we trust you?" Superboy growled, unconsciously becoming less wary of the sphere.

"You could always test my advice," she shrugged, "after all Happy Harbor and the surrounding six miles aren't _too _important."

"Six miles?" Miss Martian whispered.

"Impressive isn't it? Never underestimate human preparation for war, lovely."

M'gann looked like she was about to cry, and Superboy's hands tightened around the bomb's casing. Aqualad and Artemis had suddenly remembered that they should be fighting the girl, so they had redrawn weapons, both tired of hearing her talk. Kid Flash had a different approach.

"Why are you so insistent that I forgive Robin?" He asked the other redhead.

Kid's green eyes locked with Ruby's black ones and she mulled over the question, "I like Birdie, he intrigues me, so if I want to see more of all of you then he'll have to go back to your Young Justice League."

_Young Justice League? Can I shoot her yet? _Artemis growled, KF ignored her and continued to talk to Blood, "All of us?"

"Birdie's interesting because he had a bloodline to kill for, but you're interesting for your idiotic risking of your necks… and in some cases your heritage. Beside my interest, you know it's daft to hold this grudge, Wallace."

The team stared at her in shock, an occurrence that was becoming all too frequent for peace of mind. Blood smirked back at them, reveling in her control of the board.

"No need to worry now lovelies, I won't tell. You don't tell my personal secrets, I won't tell yours. Fair? Good. Sadly this comes the time for goodbyes. I do hope that you work out your little strife," Scarlet said her smirk turning to a barely-kinder smile. She winked as silver mists concealed her form, and Scarlet performed her vanishing act.

* * *

><p><em>What… just happened? <em>Miss Martian asked.

_Who does she think she is? Young Justice League? If Ruby's so goddamn interested in us, you think she wouldn't mock us, _Artemis seethed.

Superboy stayed staring at the bomb in his hands, postponing joining the conversation for a little while. Aqualad started going around the room checking to make sure that Ruby and any of her accomplices were no longer in the lab.

Miss Martian couldn't believe anyone would ever make something so terrible, and with no point. Why would anyone ever make a bomb that could destroy a fifteen mile area?

Aqualad focused entirely on the task at hand, he didn't want to think about the paradox that was Ruby; how could a fourteen-year-old be so volatile?

Artemis was _scared. _It wasn't a good feeling, and was one she rarely got, but if Ruby knew Wally's identity then did she know Artemis'? And would she tell the team? Or, even worse, her father? If he didn't already know.

Kid Flash stared down at his hands. _It's not a matter of trusting me, but trusting your teammate._ He did trust Rob, he had trusted him with his life more times than either could count, and vice versa, but if Rob hadn't told him… _He didn't tell Bats either, that means it was a huge secret,_ that little voice in his head he had been ignoring for the past three days argued.

As much as Wally hated to admit it, Artemis was right, it wasn't a problem that Rob had a sister. Now Wally just had to fix the mess he had created, and persuade an angry Bat to accept the fact as well. Reversing the moons rotation would without a doubt be easier.

_Artemis? _Wally asked into the mental link.

_What?_ She responded, without as much of her usual bite.

_I'm sorry you were right, it's not his fault and having a sister isn't dangerous. But I need your help, and the team's. _Wally thought, catching said team's attention.

_What do you need Wally? _M'gann asked, happy to not be talking about the bomb.

_We need to convince Batman to accept Rob's sister._

**Bu…bu…bum! A cliffy! Oh no, but not to fear it will **_**NOT **_**be another two months before I update next.** **Mostly** **it was that this chapter was a pain in the butt to get through, and a mix of overworking, no sleep, and a crazy amount of homework that I ridiculously procrastinated on.**

**Again I am so so so so sorry this took so long.**

**Kick my butt for taking so long and review (seriously, it will make me update even faster, I swear!)**

**V**


	20. Resolution?

**TOSREKFB Chapter 20**

**Hey, I didn't take two months! YAY! And to be extra special since I switched POVs so much I actually told you whose it is. Yayness squared!**

**I know it took longer than anyone wanted (myself included) but I got it up before tomorrow's Dick-centric ep, which was my deadline. **

**DarthZ asked for an explanation of what Cee's powers actually **_**do **_**so I included it just for you! Yayaness cubed!**

**Two little notes after watching Insecurity: **

**One: I seemed to have made some huge mistakes with Wally/Artemis' relationship, they have moved past the bickery phase (though with Arty's little stunt with the tracker they might be back to that phase, eh) and Roy is a HUGE prick sometime, don't worry in this story he shall be slapped (or at least teased).**

**Two: In this Chapter Roy has not joined the team (cuz that would just be too hard to work into) but may or may not be in the next one.**

* * *

><p><strong>Cee's POV<strong>

"Dick," Block, "I really think," Kick, "we should talk about what happened," High block, as I brought my arm down I looked at my little brother, he and I were both flushed, we'd been training for the past hour. This had been happening far too often for my liking, not the training mind you, I was all for Dick improving his fighting skills, but whenever I had brought up the subject of what had happened with Batman, Flash, and Kid Flash he would completely change the subject, usually to training.

"There's nothing to talk about," he responded coldly, trying to be apathetic I guessed, but his next kick had a much greater force than it had a minute ago.

I let it drop and continued to spar with the smaller ebony, but I really didn't know how long we could put this off. Alfred had called me a day after the fight, Dick had been staying with me at Lawson Parks and apparently Bruce hadn't insisted on finding him, something the elderly man had informed me was a very bad thing. I'd been wondering if Dick had adopted the same evasion to human confrontation as his mentor, because they both seemed to be using the same tactic of doing nothing; it was starting to drive me even further past crazy.

Circling each other we both agreed to an unspoken truce for the moment to be able to catch our breath. Since Maggie had been the previous host of the Statera she had offered me a home hidden away in one of the huge mountains of the preserve; unfortunately I had already been a runaway for two years and dealt with the initial power surge my parasitic powers brought on before she had been able to locate me. Now my 'home' was a catacomb of caves and I was very happy with it, the largest I had filled with ropes, poles, and hoops making quite the bird's nest above the martial-art-padded floor below—where I was currently sparring with the other person who truly appreciated the bird's nest.

The power changed for each generation of Statera, for my generation the power manifested itself in my speed, stamina, and strength being slightly stronger than a human's as well as increasing my healing ability tenfold and allowing me to Cheshire—or vanish; technically I could use the power to the same degree that a Green Lantern could, using the marks on my body that appeared to make weapons, but the more I relied and used my power the stronger the parasitic Statera got, and if it got too strong then the host's mentality and consciousness would be replaced with the will of the Statera—case in point: what happened to Alex.

I couldn't help but wince when I thought about what I did to Alex, I love him and what do I do about it? Destroy his sanity enough to make an abusive relationship; I think I should be a nun.

Snapping back to the fight when I see Robin—he had a costume stored here in case of emergencies—start to move, I move my body weight onto my back foot to be able to block. Robin feigned a right turning kick and used it as his momentum jumping and turning so his contact was with this left heel while he was still in the air. I was forced to move back as well as block with my left hand to minimize the damage, stung like heck anyway though.

"Good," I instructed Dick, "But let the kick turn just a little more before you jump." It was good how it was, but Dick was a perfectionist and I instructed as he had asked even though from his expression he already knew what I had just told him. The only reason he hadn't perfected the move was because I had only taught it to him today.

Dick nodded anyway, and I had been sparring with him for long enough to know that his frown was more at himself than anything, "Try it again," I instructed.

This time the kick was perfect, and I was forced to use more speed than humanly possible to escape getting my arm broken. My smirk was reflected by my younger kin, "See Little-Mister-I-Hate-Prefixes, you are in fact perfect. Now can we eat?"

"As long as we have pizza," Dick said, his smirk widening with Alice's new nick-name for him.

"Ali's in charge of food, what else would we be having?"

"Good point. Let's hurry up, I'm starved."

"Of course you're starving, we've been sparring for the past hour," I informed him as we walked toward the doors of the bathroom.

"Really, wow lost track of time I guess," he replied; for now I could put off what happened, if only for a little while.

The bathroom connected to the training floor was arranged like a bathroom for a very small gym, there was only one room but growing up in the circus and being siblings it wasn't anything more than child's play to get out of costume and back into civvies in front of each other. I had forgone the skirt-like part of my uniform for the sparring just as Robin had forgone the cape so that was one less thing each of us had to take off. I pulled off my top dropping it on the floor to look for the more socially appropriate one, it was on top of the pile of clothes I had left on the bench. The purple fit seamlessly over my upper half, I debated the black jacket but settled on already being sweaty enough to brave the cold of a winter in California. Dark jean and black knee-high boots finished the non-vigilante look.

"Okay, let's go eat," I said after pulling the boot's zipper completely up. Dick, who had finished dressing a few minutes before I did, simply raised an eyebrow at me while he fought a smirk. "What?" I asked, suddenly wary.

"You have something on your face," he told me cockily. My eyes narrowed at the insult as I raised my hand to my face to find out what was stuck.

"Oh, hah hah," I responded, softly pulling at the edges of the tinted domino mask, "Like you've never forgotten to take off your mask." To add insult to injury, he was already in his sunglasses and waving mine in front of my face.

I swiped the tinted glasses from his hand and stalked back into the gym as the mocking sound of his cackle echoed in time with my heeled clicks. The only victory after my shame was that after he caught I used my slightly-taller height to make two of his strides fit each of mine.

Dick was still laughing when we left the gym for the long corridor that lead to the—for all intense and purposes—door. Given that my home was a catacomb of caves in a mountain there was a certain amount of walking involved until you reached a cavern spacious enough to use as a real room. There were only about four actual rooms but there were more than six corridors, many of which lead to dead ends.

Still majorly pissed at the smaller brunette, I pushed in the key code to open the door. "Oh come'on Cee, it was funny!" Dick bargained me as the door slid open.

I ignored him, watching the door rise, but felt the anger at my own stupidity ebbing.

"Cee," Dick called to me with the slightest of wobbles in his voice. Looking over at the smaller bird I felt any lingering anger completely evaporate, I didn't have much of a choice. Dick had removed his sunglasses and was staring at me with the widest puppy-dog-blue eyes ever known to man. Damn him.

"Alright, alright I surrender! Dim the pouting," I shouted at him over my shoulder as I walked through the door.

"I'm not pouting," he objected as he followed me out.

"If you weren't before, you are now," I informed him and his protruding bottom lip.

Dick shook off the pout as he slipped the sunglasses back onto his head. A breeze of cold air made me regret leaving my jacket in the gym; it was surprising that there wasn't any snow on the ground, Lawson Parks was located in Northern California with the edges of the Cascades enclosed within the grounds of the National Park, so it was common to have a few inches of the frozen crystals on the landscape. Ali's house wasn't far from the entrance to mine, and if you knew the shortcuts it just barely took eight minutes to travel the half mile.

The few animals that braved the cold of winter were loud enough that I didn't have to worry about getting rained on while we walked to the Lawson abode, although that might change given the dark clouds on the edge of the sky.

"What are you thinking?" Dick interrupted my thoughts.

"Just wondering if we're going to get rained on," I responded still staring at the gray clouds.

"I doubt it," he said back, "those are pretty far off. Tree."

I looked back to where I was walking fast enough to be able to react to the tree that was suddenly in my way, though it very nearly clipped my nose, "You couldn't have said something sooner?"

"Maybe I wasn't paying attention either," his smirk gave away his bluff, though, if it wasn't obvious enough.

"Brat, I should just leave you to the wolves," I shot back. Another gust of winter air raised Goosebumps on my arms, I really should have grabbed my jacket.

His cackle once again filled the air as I semi-seriously considered leaving him as dog food, hey cold makes me irritable.

Luckily before I could turn my kin into kibble Ali's house came into view. The house fit nicely into the scenery looking like a log cabin—which it actually was—the inside was just carpeted and walled. Two floors and a 10' by 14' base made it spacious enough without it being ridiculous. To the left of the house was the cast-iron fence and gate surrounding the only publicly accessible part of the park.

Lawson Gardens was open to the public in the spring, summer, and fall and was maintained by Maggie. It was a nice garden, pretty indigenous flowers that bloomed when the garden opened and an old-style gazebo in the center near a man-made lake.

Dick reached the door first and pulled it open, having the apology of holding it open for me as I walked through.

"—thank you. No that's all, just please inform Mr. Queen as soon as you can. Unhuh, you have a nice day too," Alice finished her conversation just as we entered.

"Who was that?" Dick asked, more of a conversation starter than anything as it was fairly obvious from the end of the conversation.

"Gah!" Ali screamed as she threw herself onto the couch, "I hate secretaries. Aren't they supposed to make things easier, not harder? Promise me that if I ever become a secretary you'll shoot me."

"That doesn't exactly answer the question," I told her as I navigated around her feet that stuck out of the couch. The main room combined a dining area and a living room with a table, chairs, a couch, and TV its main furnishings.

"Queen Industries," she finally answered, "Do we have food?"

"It's your house."

Dick and Ali glanced at each other before speaking in unison, "Will you make us food?"

"What are you two, three-year-old?" I only got two puppy-dog looks in reply. "Fine, just stop with the pouty faces.

"I don't pout," Dick objected again as I started looking for food.

"Sure you don't," Ali agreed. Dick just plopped down next to her on the couch and threw one of the pillows at the blonde.

"Hey, it seems quite around here," I disrupted the two's soon-to-be pillow fight.

"Yeah, Apollo's picking Tess up from dance class," Alice called back.

"I thought she had class on Friday," Dick replied.

"It is Friday."

"Huh, guess I'm a little off."

"Boy Wonder indeed," Ali started snickering.

"Leftovers would be fastest," I shouted through the refrigerator door, "and where's Roy?"

"Here," the redhead called as he entered the room from the backdoor.

"Want food?"

"Sure."

"Wow, aren't the two of you just the conversationalists," Ali smirked over the couch. Roy just raised an eyebrow at her, so she returned to pouting. As he walked past the couch he half smacked half ruffled the back of the Atlantean's head. Roy's biggest soft spot was for the girl, despite how she could annoy him, it was very sweet.

I grabbed out some left-over steak from hopefully not too long ago for Alice and Roy, a slice of pizza for Dick, and an apple for myself. Plating the dishes and grabbing the appropriate silverware only took a few minutes.

"Food's up. Water anyone?" I asked putting the food on the table.

"Sure, love some. We had steak? Ali replied.

"Yes please, A why must you insist on putting anchovies on pizza?" Dick said.

"I can't believe you guys are making her get water too," Roy criticized the two younger heroes as he sat down.

"But you want some too?" I asked already knowing his answer.

"Sure if you're getting some," he responded.

I grabbed the glasses to the sound of Ali berating the older Navajo about hypocrisy and Dick joining in not too much latter. Chuckling I managed to carry the four glasses to the faucet, though I assumed that it wouldn't be so easy when they were full.

"Really Roy, if you're going to pick on us 'cause we accept an offer than you probably shouldn't except the same offer, just saying," A finished her argument.

"I actually don't mind," I informed them. I got three shocked faces in return, "Yes when you talk about someone like she's not here she might just contribute to the conversation."

"Haha Sis, how funny," Dick told me.

"Wit is genetic," I comforted his ego, at the same time slightly insulting it, depending on how he took the comment.

"Is that really the only thing you're having?" Alice asked me, pointing her fork at my meager meal, "Should we put you on anorexia watch?"

"Don't joke about stuff like that," I glared at her, I'd seen what anorexia along with everything else desperation could do to people, and none of it was pretty. I also might have been just a bit sore about the subject; the truth of the matter was after I found out about my family's murder I stopped eating—completely, Alex and I had still been traveling together at the time and he was the one who noticed that I was 'coping' by putting everything into progress while completely ignoring my body's needs. It took months for me to feel up to par after that.

"Right, sorry," I knew she knew how I felt and generally felt the same way although her more aggressive defenses lay in other causes.

Offering the younger girl a smile ended the conversation, and the rest of the meal was spent mostly in silence. When everyone finished I volunteered to clean up the dishes, much to the happiness of the host.

"See this is why you're welcome anytime, Apollo always leaves a mess," Alice said. Though given that Apollo and his sister more or less lived here, I had a feeling that it was a habit adopted from the host.

"Speaking of the blonde where is he?" Robin asked.

"When did he leave to pick up Tess?" I asked.

"Uhhhhh…" Alice started, "Previously."

"Half an hour ago," Roy supplied.

"Fine, prove the point the point that I suck at chronological perception," Ali grumbled.

"Wonder what's taking them," I mused.

"Well given Apollo's driving skills Tess probably chose the smart option and walked," Alice said.

"This coming from the girl who crashed into the same tree twice," Roy prodded her.

"Yes, but I taught the tree a very valuable lesson."

"Which was?" I couldn't hold my curiosity.

"Don't grow in the middle of the path," she philosophized. Alexis suddenly appeared behind the blonde Atlantean and joined the rest of us in staring at Ali.

"Right," I responded turned off the water as I was done washing the dishes.

"I have targets to hit," Roy said heading towards the backdoor.

"I'll come with you," I told the archer starting to follow him.

"We need to talk," a dark voice informed us.

That man has got to improve his greeting skills, goddamn Batman or not.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

"Let me get this straight," Zatanna said, "Robin has an older sister, that nobody except Red Arrow knew about, but you found out, told Batman, had a big fight, and now we have to convince Batman, the League, and a few others that… what are you trying to convince them?"

"That she should be heard out before we cast judgment," Kaldur supplied.

"Okay, convince them that she should be heard-out. That right?"

"Yes," Wally responded nodding so fast that his head was blurring.

"You guys remember when I told you that I needed the power and exact spell to make it work? I don't have either for a 'Move-the-Planets' spell, and I think that would be the easier of the two," the young sorceress informed them.

"That was not the goal of informing you," Kaldur said, "we did not wish for a spell, but we are going to fix this conflict as a team, we felt you should be included."

"Oh," Zatanna replied a little stunned, "Okay let's go get Batman to agree to something… How in the world is this going to work?"

* * *

><p><strong>Wally's POV<strong>

I left the team discussing the best course of action for getting Batman to agree and who else to include in the plan as I had a very important call to make. I sped to an area of the cave that I was sure no one would come into as they were discussing the plan.

Taking out my phone I dialed a number very few people knew: the private line for Wayne manor. Alfred picked up on the second ring.

"Wayne Manor," was the English accented reply.

"Alfred," I said, "I know I might not be your favorite person but I you're your help to help Dick."

"How can I help?" Alfred is god, I just have to prove it one of these days.

"We're going to get Bruce to talk to Dick's sister, civilly. But we need to know where we should have them talk, would the cave work? There both in the manor so if it doesn't threaten the identity secret it would be the best option I could think of."

"Master Wallace," he swallowed loudly enough that I could hear it from my side of the conversation, "Master Dick hasn't returned to the manor since you had the confrontation."

* * *

><p><strong>Bruce's POV<strong>

_What did I do? What could I have done to convince Dick that he couldn't trust me?_ No matter that this was the thousandth time I had asked myself this the last three days no answer came, no answer as to why I had failed. I knew the ties of family but why wouldn't Dick tell me? Why had I failed? How had I failed him? _My partner, my soldier, my fault_. **(1)**

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

"What!" Wally could never have assumed this, he thought that the two of them would just avoid each other in the manor—which given its size wasn't that hard—but for Dick to not come home at all? How could he have seen that coming? "But if he's not at the manor, where is he?"

"I believe he is with his sister, at Lawson Parks."

"Thanks Alfred, we'll get him from there," Wally called into the phone before he hit the 'end' button and raced out of the room back to the team.

"Where were you?" Artemis asked before anyone else could.

"Making a phone call. I know where Rob is," I replied.

"Oh where is he?" M'gann asked excited at the prospect of helping her teammate.

"Lawson Parks," Wally informed her.

"Perfect," was the archer's sarcastic reply.

* * *

><p><strong>Alfred's POV<strong>

I tried to say something more, but Master Wallace hung up the phone before I could. If they were going to find Master Dick in Lawson Parks, the host should be informed.

Dialing in the numbers took but a moment, and then the phone rang. Two more rings passed before a resident picked up the phone.

"Hello, Lawson residence," the stoic voice of Magdalena Lawson came through the speaker.

"Hello Ms. Lawson, I believe you know the current conflict with your guests."

"I am well aware, what must I know Mr. Pennyworth?"

"An attempt at peace will be endeavored, however this peace will be attempted on your grounds and I believe you would want to be informed.

"I will deal with my own, thank you Mr. Pennyworth," the dial tone alerted me to the end of conversation. It had taken many conversations for me to understand that Ms. Lawson was not cold towards me, simply asocial, much like Master Bruce's other persona.

However, I could trust no one better for the situation to help resolve the matter at hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

The Team had come to the main room/training room after agreeing on the plan.

Kaldur would call Batman to the Cave where the Team would convince him to go with them to Lawson Parks, where they would get Batman to hear the girl out and understand that things weren't as terrible as they seemed. It was a good plan, but it depended far too much on luck for it be a good plan—much less work—but it was all they had.

Aqualad turned around to face his team, they nodded at him telling him that it was time to have the _entire _Team together.

Aqualad pushed the button on the holographic screen to call Batman, the 'speed-dial' already set up when Batman had started handing out missions for the new team.

"Aqualad," Batman addressed the teen as his face came onto the large screen in the room.

"Batman we must request that you meet us at the cave," the leader told him.

"Aqualad I cannot—"

"With all due respect Batman," Aqualad interrupted, much to the surprise of his team, "you need to come to the cave _now_."

A single nod was the only response they got, but it was enough for the team to trust that Batman was indeed coming.

The few minutes leading up to his arrival were tense to say the least, and the 'plan' was looking shakier and shakier with every minute Batman wasn't there. Wally knew that even if the Team bailed now, he was going to stick it out till the end; this was his fault and he needed to put things right.

"Recognized: Batman, 0-2," the Zeta-Beam announced, demanding the attention of the entire Team.

Gotham's Dark Knight walked into the room with an aura that had everyone rethinking the 'actually-talk-to-Batman' part of the plan.

"What do you need?" He asked coldly.

After a minute of silence, Wally knew that no one was going to say anything, probably because they had no idea what to say. He did.

"We need to give Robin to explain himself," the speedster finally managed.

"He said enough," Batman disagreed, narrowing his eyes that this discussion was in front of the Team.

"No, none of us knew what to make of anything that was happening, we need to give him a chance when it isn't six A.M."

Batman narrowed his eyes further, but didn't disagree. Which was good for the Team.

"The Team needs to be included in this," Wally continued.

"Because we're his family too," Artemis interjected.

"Fine," was the Bat's one-worded reply.

"We can take the Bioship," M'gann said.

Batman nodded, "Where?"

"Lawson Parks," Aqualad told him.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

Landing the space-ship in a nature preserve was surprising the easy part, there was parking; the cut-out part of the preserve was next to a garden and did look like a parking lot, just without concrete.

The Team, plus Batman, exited the bioship and headed in the direction of the house they had seen when they were landing.

The woman standing in the yard was going to the hard part though, Zatanna could just tell. Dark glasses, a series of robes, and the wooden cane couldn't throw off the imposing aura the woman gave off, much like with Batman. The Team stopped when they saw her, and everyone but Zatanna knew the woman from file.

"Who's that?" the young magician couldn't help but ask.

"Magdalena Lawson," Artemis told her.

"Current CEO of Lawson Inc and one of the wealthiest women in the world, as well as one of the must socially reclusive," Superboy added.

"She's also blind, we should be able to get around her," Batman informed the team, using hand signals to indicate how the team should get into the building.

"Blind, but not deaf," the woman called out, "You should come out of the trees, it will be much easier to talk if I do not shout."

"How did she do that?" KF asked.

"It's been shown that if one sense is taken then the others become more refined," Artemis informed him.

"Still we were pretty far away, it's kinda creepy how she could hear us," Artemis smacked him on the chest, "Ow, what?"

"If she could hear us in the trees she can hear what you said now that we're closer."

"Oh. Right."

"Ms. Lawson we need—" Batman began.

"I am more than aware of the problems concerning my own, and this conflict has continued long enough for something so trivial, do you not agree?" the woman interrupted.

"Then let us resolve it," she said walking to the front door of her home.

By the time they reached the door, Batman was the one closest to the door and had a permanent scowl on his face. He grabbed the door and opened it walking in to the room without pause.

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

"We need to talk," Bruce said after he opened the main door of the Lawson's house.

If you've ever broke into a house of superhero/vigilante trained teenagers, don't. Cee had three daggers in hand and was facing the door, Alice had pulled a dagger of her own from a secret compartment of her belt, Alexis was standing in front of the girl ears pressed back and lips curled in a growl, Roy was in a fighting stance, and Dick already has his utility belt out.

"_Alice stand down, (Navajo, Alice, Maggie, Roy)" _Maggie told her ward as she entered behind the caped crusader.

"_You must be joking, (Navajo, Alice, Maggie, Roy)"_Alice growled back not relaxing her stance.

"_Alice, NOW, (Navajo, Alice, Maggie, Roy)" _Maggie growled back, _"You as well Roy, this is not the time for fighting."_

Roy relaxed, after a minute. The Team anxiously waited outside, it was pretty clear that the seven of them wouldn't fit in the room that already had six people in it.

"This should continue outside," Maggie said leaving through the same door she had just entered.

Batman, surprisingly, was the first to follow the Navajo woman. The teenagers and the canine followed shortly after.

Once outside the room the elderly woman nodded curtly, satisfied with the space.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Batman asked, without wasting any time.

Robin didn't want to say his same 'because I couldn't trust you' because that was far from the truth, and honestly, he didn't know what to say. He glanced over at Cee.

"It was more conquincidental than anything," Cee said, "I'm not legally alive, so I rarely had a chance to visit and on the rare chance I did visit it was never when you were there."

Batman looked at Robin, and the younger nodded in confermation.

"Batman, I didn't tell you… I had already lost my family twice I couldn't have it happen again," it was hard for Dick to be truthful when he still had to keep his identity a secret.

"The room Robin was previously in is completely secure," Maggie informed them. Batman nodded at the woman and returned to the door, opening it and waiting for Robin. Robin didn't hesitate to follow.

An awkward silence echoed in the field outside the house with the absence of the Dynamic Duo. Superboy tried to use his super-hearing to eaves-drop on the conversation that was going on between the pair, but found the house soundproof.

"I cannot that after I drove all the way to get you, you still walked home."

"You barely passed your driver's test and I _really_ want to live to see fifteen."

"Pff, fifteen's overrated been there done… that…" the owners of the two voices walked into the clearing that was housing the unspeaking teens. The older boy was a lanky fifteen or sixteen-year-old with dirty-blonde hair and light-brown eyes, the thirteen-year-old girl was obviously his sibling but her hair was dark enough for her to be a brunette.

The younger man shifted his gaze from all the superheroes in front of him before settling on Ali, "You put hallucinogenic mushrooms in the coffee again didn't you?"

"No," the blonde replied.

"Oh, huh. Hey Tess what's the number for the shrink?" he asked his sister.

"879-653-7943," she told him without pause.

"It scares me that you can recite that."

"I grew up with you, of course I know it by heart."

He gave an overdramatic sigh before walking closer to the group. "So if I'm not hallucinating, my I have some introducitons?"

"Aqualad," the Atlantean told him.

"Superboy."

"Artemis."

"Miss Martian."

"Kid Flash."

"Zatanna."

"Of course, my beautiful twin," the boy smiled at Artemis.

"Excuse me?" The archer replied.

"Ne vous inquiétez pas belle," he said as he kissed her hand.

"When do you know French?" Alice asked him.

"It's my language elective," he told her as he continued to mumble the romance language.

"You're supposed to taking German."

"Oh, that explains why I failed the test doesn't it?"

"Will someone please tell me why this guy thinks he's my brother," Artemis asked.

"Because he's an idiot," his sister supplied, "his name's Apollo and I'm Tess."

"Oh," Artemis said, "that makes sense then."

"How?" M'gann asked.

"In Greek myth, the moon goddess Artemis was the twin of the sun god Apollo, I was just having a little fun with the conquincidence," Apollo smiled at the Martian, "not to worry Belladonna."

"Apollo… so did your parents just want you to be odd or…?" Artemis asked teasingly.

"Nope, and I can do the odd part without any help mind you, my darling sister's full name is Contessalyn," he smiled at the now blushing girl.

"I really wish you'd stop telling everyone that," Tess sighed.

"I think it's cool," Zatanna offered

"Thanks," Tess replied.

The door opened to find the Dynamic Duo in the doorway. Batman left and continued walking towards the bioship. Robin smiled at the Team.

"Guys, I'd like to meet my sister. This is Nightshade."

* * *

><p><strong>Robin's POV<strong>

As soon as the door locked behind us, Bruce took off his mask and looked at me, "Dick?"

"It was never supposed to be a secret Bruce, it just worked out that way. I lost her once when she ran away, then after losing the rest of my family I got paranoid that if anyone found out I'd lose her again," I told him, it was a little too open for my usual, but I was really sick of lies.

"And Roy, and apparently the Lawsons?"

"Roy was when I should have told you," I had come to terms with that a long time ago, "and the Lawsons knew before I did… well Maggie did. Cee's a meta and Maggie gave Cee her powers. I knew that it was crash and burn, but I didn't know how to tell you."

"Not being able to trust me?"

"The anger talking."

"Dick," he called and I looked up at him, having removing my sunglasses at some point. "You shouldn't be afraid to tell me anything, I have a feeling I'd understand."

"I know."

"This isn't over."

"Know that too."

"Let's go home first."

"That sounds like a really good idea."

I but my glasses back on as Bruce pull back up his cowl. As I unlocked the door he said something that I never expected to hear, "You should probably introduce her to the team first."

* * *

><p><strong>Third Person POV<strong>

"Nightshade? Scary," Zatanna said, looking at the older girl.

"I promise I'm only deadly to the bad guys," she smirked the rest of the team smirked back.

The team was going to leave until Superboy looked at the cream-colored canine by the blonde's feet.

"YOU!" He shouted, drawing the attention from... well everyone. "You're the girl from the mission, you're Sprite."

"Fat lot of good the mask did me," Alice growled, prompting a growl from Alexis as well.

Batman narrowed his eyes at the girl for a minute, before speaking, "You'll come to the cave tomorrow, and this will be discussed."

"Like I'm—"

"Alice," her guardian interrupted. The girl simply scowled and looked away from the others.

"Red Arrow can show you the way," Batman said as he left, the team—this time including Robin—followed him, thought the non-bird members of the team were scowling at the blonde.

"You've got to be kidding," Alice told her guardian.

"No," Maggie replied as she went back inside, leaving a grumbling River Sprite behind her.

"That was… interesting," Tess commented.

"Very," her brother agreed. "I'm going to get food."

"I'll join you," Tess said as she followed him inside.

Roy, Alice, and Cee looked at each other the latter smiling, all but the blonde happy with the result of today's events.

"So pleased to see a happy ending to all this," a silk voice commented.

"Scarlet," Ali growled at the redhead, who had peached herself in a tree.

"Hello my dear," Cee greeted, "Why do I have the feeling that you meddled your way into this somehow?"

"Simple reason of you are a very perceptive woman, lovely," Scarlet replied, "you know how I feel about family issues," she smiled.

Cee simply raised an eyebrow at the girl, as Ali continued to growl, and Roy glared.

"Do have fun now lovelies," the girl winked before disappearing.

"I hate her," Alice growled, as her history with the redhead was not very sweet.

"Don't deny the feeling's mutual," Scarlet said, appearing one last time in front of the blonde before disappearing—again.

Ali growled and stalked back into her house, slamming the door after Alexis had entered.

Roy just shook his head and followed the girl, while Cee headed off to her own bed, it had been a long day.

* * *

><p><strong>Cee's POV<strong>

I skipped the other rooms and went straight for the bed room, I was ready to sleep the stress of today away. I pulled off my top, jeans, sunglasses, and boots until I was left only in my underwear, crawling under the sheets I wanted nothing more than to close my eyes. A voice interrupted this plan.

"Long day?"

"You're late," I informed him sitting up in the bed.

"Not in the time zone I was in," he responded.

"Oh? And that was..?" I asked.

"Nice try love, but it's not so easy," Alex informed me leaning over the bed.

"Too bad, that might have been an interesting game, but I am way too tired," I sighed flopping back down on the bed.

"How interesting?" he asked now looming over me with either hand pinning me.

"Very," I replied with a seductive smile, which vanished as soon as Alex's lips captured mine.

Our love was doom from the start, which was mostly my fault, but that's the thing about doomed love, it's addictive.

* * *

><p><strong>Again stole this from Batman: Under the Red Hood, was for when he 'got Jason killed,' but eh... it works.<strong>

**If it slipped a little at the end I apologize, it was three AM and I really wanted to get this finish, hopefully the lack of context was bearable. and tell me about any mistakes, I'll be going over this again, I hope you enjoyed the rough version *falls over and startes drooling on keyboard***

**Yes, yes I know it took forever, but it was faster than last time right?**

***crickets chirping***

**Ok ok, so I'm still a lazy bum… but I have an excuse—kinda, I broke my finger, or its sprained; I can still type (every key hurts tho) so I think it's only sprained but it is the reason it took so long to update. *Sigh and stares at finger as it turns purple…er* **

**Excuser Fail: "That only happened yesterday."**

**Me: HUSH *throws EF into cell* You didn't see nothing….**

**I would also like to blame Pokémon, comic books, PMS, and Xena. **

**REVIEW!**


	21. Light Hold More Secrets Than Dark

**PLEASE READ: if you flame me for any warnings or note listed here you will be ignored and its important you know what's in the chapter.**

**WARNING: One single mention of sex. Calm down people, it was how you were created. **

**SPOILER WARNING: if you don't know about the treachery in Aquaman's house, you might want to skip a paragraph in this… but I don't think it's that much of a spoiler if you've ever seen any Aquaman cartoonish show.**

**1. In this chapter I used two Latin words, they're in the same sentence, don't let them confuse you! :) **

**2. I need to say that I am in no way, shape, or form insulting the Middle East with the mention of slave trade, it is a subject I know nothing about and has been fictionalized for the sole purpose of this story. Whether or not there is any actual illegal trade of humans going on in any part of the world is not something I know or have studied (though I sincerely hope that it doesn't happen, ever)**

**3. I did my best with how Light HQ should look from that glimpse in Revelation, and with each member's reaction to which teammate (it will make sense, I promise)**

**Onto the Chapter!**

Scarlet fanned herself lazily with one of her dagger-tipped weapons, partly because it was warm in here and partly because it intimidated the hell out of Klarion. Sitting on the metal railing surrounding the thin floor of the circular room Scarlet contemplated her current accomplices; they all surrounded her, seven members of the Light, the eighth—Alex—was the reason they were currently waiting. Her dear employer—note the sarcasm—was running late. This didn't bother the redhead though, it was the small girl by her side that had Scarlet worried about patience.

"Why is that stupid kid keeping us waiting?" Klarion was also a variable it seemed, though that wasn't all too surprising.

"Klarion," Scarlet called, chilling and smoothing her voice so the effect against the ears was like ice-cold silk, "you are a Lord of Chaos, are you not? Act like it, and learn some patience."

"Why you little," Klarion began his appearance becoming more demonic with an unearthly red light starting to come from his changing form. A mewl from the witch boy's familiar stopped him from casting any spells, his obvious desire for the girl.

Scarlet had always liked Teekl, well much more than she liked the familiar's master anyway. The devious girl couldn't help but smirk as she flicked her wrist once again, small reflections of the room in the shined silver points of the fighting fan. A soft pressure on her leg had Scarlet looking down, Adara pushed herself against her caretaker's leg her Arabian features tinged with concern as the dark haired girl backed away from Klarion.

"Why is the brat even here? Is she even old enough to speak?" Klarion's high voice once again assaulted the air. Scarlet could handle any insult directed at her, she had heard them all, but insulting Adara was another matter entirely.

"You ask a pretty few questions for an imp soon to be without his tongue," Scarlet informed the lord of chaos, dark eyes narrowing and ruby-red lips curling back.

Klarion looked as if he was going to retaliate, until Lex Luthor's voice interrupted him, "While we wait, we do have a matter that would be best discussed without Mercury."

"Pray tell," Scarlet, asked her voice changing from its previous aggressive to passive.

"The sidekicks," Queen Bee said coldly, Scarlet had no great confrontation with the leader of Bialya, but that would quickly change if the reports of her threatening a defenseless young boy were proven true…

"What about the partners?" Scarlet replied with a question.

"The _sidekicks_ have made a name for themselves, and become problematic," Savage answered.

"That is usually the case with heroes," Scarlet informed them much to the distaste of the others.

The dark skinned woman used the many screens on the wall of the room to pull up a series of pictures until the entire Team was on the wall, although the young magic user and Nightshade's archer friend were missing. The change in the room was immediate. Scarlet's near-Statera life enhanced the senses as well her physical abilities, animals are able to 'smell fear' because when you are afraid your body lets off different chemicals, this was true of all emotions, and after seven centuries Scarlet was very good as using her enhanced senses to pinpoint the emotions around her.

Though it would be much more informative if she was to see which reactions she got for an individual member of the Team. Scarlet hopped off the metal railing, stowing the lady-like weapon on her left hip as she walked toward the controls for the computer. Adara followed the inhuman girl, finding it safer closer to the redhead. A quick smile was given to the smaller girl before Scarlet had the screens changing to a more informative format.

Robin's picture was singled out first. As expected Ra's had the greatest reaction, he was agitated and expectant; Ra's wanted Batman to succeed him, but on his terms, which was as likely as getting the man to smile, either of them. Robin was an opportunity though, trained by Ra's wanted successor and had a young mind that could be more easily manipulated than the Batman's, barely. Though Scarlet suspected that Ra's was still consciously stuck on Batman succeeding him, but the subconscious response was the one that shown through to the dark-eyed girl. It would a great amount of manipulation if Ra's ever figured out that he wanted to recruit Robin. Scarlet knew, she had tried herself on more than one occasion.

"Each partner must be discussed in turn if they are so problematic, no?" Scarlet asked over her shoulder, disguising her actions. Stiff nods were all the girl was going to get in conformation though. Rolling her eyes when none could see, Scarlet changed the picture.

Vandal Savage was the strongest reaction to Kid Flash, given that the speedster was the only of the Team he had any interaction with it would have been misplaced for him to harbor the strongest reaction to anyone else. The bitter feelings for the Flash had seemed to transition to the younger speedster, perhaps because both had bested him during their confrontations. Their interaction had been brief, though, so there was little else to be determined from Savage.

Another click and a picture the Martian was front and center. Queen Bee reeked of control and manipulation, a scent and feeling Scarlet knew very well. Now the question came of what knife the Bialyian had over Miss Martian's head, the girl found it odd that that she didn't already know, but it didn't bother her too much. With who she was, Scarlet would find out soon enough.

Superboy was the next picture. The surprise of Lex's interest in the clone had been demolished when the girl had first fought the Team, the scent of Luthor's blood in the boy had been an easy indication that the bald man would be interested in the boy. The true surprise was that was the fact of Luthor being the better father figure for the boy than the blue Boy Scout, although with Superboy's overuses of the Shields the girl was worried how his humanity and sanity would be affected. Speaking of which, Scarlet had a new piece to acquire after this charade of a villainous meeting was over. Scarlet did appreciate the interaction between the business tycoon and the clone, however Lex had taken his sweet time…

There was a conversation going on about the pictures as she had suggested to the group, but Scarlet was much more focused on reactions than she was on taking part of the discussion.

Aqualad's form was the next up on the wall. Ocean-Master was the strongest, feeling contempt, an increased recognition, and… fear? Scarlet let her senses go further, digging into his 'genetic scent' if you will and finding—oh? Well that explained things. The great Prince Orm couldn't have his brother's partner figuring out his treachery could he now? Oh, this was very well received new information.

Artemis was the last picture of the Team Queen Bee had pulled up, and the Brain, though hardest to deduce without skin to release chemical scents, seemed to feel the strongest… but what? Oh, this was pointless, without skin pinpointing information was as plausible as tasting a fish by licking the glass.

"Discussing the archeress?" Mercury interrupted, appearing in the room.

"You're late," Savaged informed him.

"I was… preoccupied," he responded. Scarlet didn't bother to hide her smirk, the scent of Nightshade coming off her employer was thick and sultry, no wonder he had been late.

"We have much to discuss," the Brain said stoically, retracting the smug feeling Scarlet had with the reminder of her inability to read him.

An expectant look was cast from all members of the light at the girl. Scarlet was well aware that she was not welcome in the meeting, she wasn't a member of the Light, she was simply in their base because Mercury had been _previously occupied_ and she was there to stand in until he arrived.

Scarlet turned her hips away from the computer, so she was entirely facing one way, before she started walking. The Light knew she was a turncoat, and might betray them; she _would_ eventually, the Light would fall apart and Scarlet had to make sure she had separated ties with them before that happened, because Scarlet _didn't _lose. Ra's she wouldn't betray, the girl followed her own morals, being that she wouldn't betray kin. Ra's al Ghul got his immortality from the Lazarus Pit, and the Pit got its power from the released energy of murdered Statera, so Ra's was kin to her. Her army was also above betrayal, as she was their creator. Everyone else, with few exceptions, was abandoned when she lost interest.

Scarlet was almost at the door were she was going to disappear with Adara for the last matter she had to manipulate when Klarion spoke, thinking she couldn't hear him or had a death wish, "Now that the vidua and the farinam are gone we can have an actual meeting."

A millisecond of frozen posture passed before the redhead gave up coherency for revenge. Another millisecond for Scarlet's features to change from human to inhuman, red marks like painted blood appeared over her entire body and her eyes glowed red while her canines sharped and extended, then she spun on her heel and pinned Klarion to the same railing she had been sitting on just a few minutes ago.

"_We warned you, several times in fact, one would have thought you listen (Ancient Latin, Scarlet, Klarion)," _Scarlet's clawed hand tightened around the witch boy's neck as she pushed him farther over the railing. As she wasn't a full Statera, her parasite wasn't as forceful and could share Scarlet's mind to give her more power without trying to take over her body, they did have to share a mind though, hence the 'we.' _"So little witch boy, you have two choices: we spend the next few centuries torturing you to find out how to kill you, or you swallow your petty pride and apologize to Adara."_

Klarion was in _pain. _As a lord of chaos he shouldn't be able to be hurt, but whatever Scarlet's claws were injecting into the witch boy's neck had Teekl screeching in pain as well. Klarion felt his power as well as his connection to Earth fading quickly as the girl's poison attacked the telepathic connection between the witch boy and his familiar, and despite the tantrum he wanted to throw, with the current rate at which his powers were draining he wouldn't be able to stand up, much less throw a tantrum.

"Well?" Scarlet asked, her hand tightening again.

"I'm… sorry," Klarion choked on the unfamiliar word, but was rewarded with the return of air to his lungs which he welcomed back in gasped breaths along with Teekl.

"_Good, now if you could only learn your lesson. But we will be more than happy to make good on promise, if you haven't (Ancient Latin, Scarlet, Klarion),"_ the multiple-personalitied girl (or girls) smiled wickedly at the witch boy. A few more seconds of gasps passed before Scarlet stopped looking at Klarion and walked out the door once again, the Arabian girl following her immediately.

* * *

><p>"Damn bitch," Klarion cussed at the door after making sure the girl was actually gone this time.<p>

"We're just lucky that she hate Nabu more than she does you. If only barely," Mercury laughed.

"If we'll start," Queen Bee growled.

"We have new Intel from the mole…"

* * *

><p>"M-miss Ruby?" Adara stuttered, pushing herself closer to Scarlet.<p>

"What is it?" Scarlet—and only Scarlet, as she had abandoned her dual personality when she had disappeared—asked kindly, a voice she reserved for the girl.

"What is this place?" she responded looking franticly around the dark room. Adara's breath came out in clouds as she took in the strange room with its frost-covered pods full of developing limbs and odd lights.

"This is Cadmus, Adara. The undergrounds specifically," the redhead informed the younger.

"W-why are we here?" Adara asked. She was honored to accompany Miss Ruby wherever the older allowed her to join the young woman. But she was often scared of the situations that Miss Ruby got into, though Adara knew Scarlet would protect her no matter what, the girl always stuttered through her second language when she was scared.

"Recruitment," Scarlet offered as she started walking down the path the absence of pods created.

Adara knew not to pry any further until Miss Ruby brought it up herself. Odd as it may seem with her reputation, Adara loved Scarlet and owed everything to the woman; where Adara had been born was one of those places a mother prays her child will never see, and most like to think no longer exist. Try as they might, government couldn't stop all the black market slave trade in the Middle East, and was they place Adara had been born and lived for seven years of her life. It was a hell like few knew, and Adara had known nothing else until Scarlet saved her.

That night was a memory Adara knew would never fade, her mother—the only parent she had ever known—was being punished for who-knows-what, the slavers just wanted an excuse to use their whips, and Adara had been screaming as each sound of the whip hitting flesh cut into her heart. The men warned her that if she wasn't quite she would be the next to be whipped, but Adara couldn't stop _screaming_.

Adara was being dragged forward to be whipped the first time Adara saw her. Standing behind her mother's tormentor like a torrent of vengeance, her eyes glowed an unearthly red, and her long hair strewn like blood flying around her head.

It was the only time Adara had seen Scarlet murder. The man she stood behind didn't stand a chance, before he was even aware of the girl's presence behind him, Scarlet had used her inhuman strength to shove her hand through his chest ripping his still-beating heart of out of the man's chest. Adara knew she would never forget the sight of blood spattering against Scarlet's face.

From then on it was a blur, there was so much screaming and confusion that Adara didn't know what to make of anything else other than her current task. Her mother had lost so much blood already, the slavers had shown no mercy that night; Adara pushed down on the wounds as her mother had shown her how to, but the marks were too deep and it wasn't working.

Adara was in tears when she noticed that the only sound was coming from her, everyone else had stopped screaming and there was only stillness in the desert air. Looking up, Adara saw the spectral woman that had stopped her mother's torment standing above her.

"_Please, do something(Arabic)," _Adara pleaded, until her mother made a dying request in a language the child didn't know.

"Free them," her mother had to whisper, her energy taken by the whip.

Adara still didn't know what her mother had said, though she now knew English, she only knew that Scarlet gave one decisive nod and her mother had said two words Adara had never heard.

"_Thank you(Arabic),_" her mother said, even softer than before. Adara screamed, her voice cracking in its dry throat, as her mother stopped moving, remaining deathly still.

Scarlet had given them all new lives by the next morning, letting people who had no hope before, a chance to live—truly live—without having to worry when the next beating would come.

But Adara was alone, and couldn't live freely that way. Scarlet had seen her mother die, and had performed in the span of twenty-four hours more miracles than Adara had every dare dreamed in her life; the dream continued when Scarlet asked the liberated-slave-girl if she would become her companion.

Not being a full Statera, Scarlet looked more like a vampire in her full state than she did a Statera; the redhead also preferred living like her namesake, sustaining herself with blood instead of conventional food. Usually Scarlet drained her victims completely, killing them, but she could also take small amounts and make the experience more than pleasant.

Adara had become a companion for the 'vampire' as well as a source of blood that Scarlet had informed the girl she preferred to the random druggie. Her life of torture and fear had turned to one of companionship and care in one signal night. Adara owed Scarlet everything, and the vampire had never taken advantage of it.

Adara nearly ran into Scarlet as the woman suddenly stopped in front of her. Jarred out of her reminiscent, the girl took in her surroundings. They pair had stopped in front of a single pod that was so covered with frost that the glass was opaque, the metal framework of the glass had the words 'PROJECT MATCH' written in block lettering on the bottom.

"Miss Ruby?" Adara asked stunned.

"Adara, there is a young man in this pod, he has a great trouble with coherency. He was a failed creation that could not be thrown away, so his creators stored him here," Scarlet explained.

"If it failed… why are we here?"

"Because Cadmus couldn't see the diamond in the ruff, I could," Scarlet replied one of her signature smirks on her face. The vampire reached out to the control panel, and pushed the button to open the pod without taking her eyes off the clouded glass.

The panels were only allowed to raise a few inches from the floor before Scarlet hit another button to stop the opening of the pod. Spinning her fingers above her palm, a red smoke spun around Scarlet's right hand until it solidified into a creature that belonged in a horror story.

Adara shuddered, she hated the Interrogators; the creatures were in the form of earwigs, though were as long as Scarlet's forearm, Scarlet used them to interrogate—hence the name—those who either would not relinquish the information or needed to be tortured. The Interrogators bit through skin and traveled along the nerve endings, biting each one and causing terrible pain to the person, as they traveled toward the brain so that if the torture didn't work the electric signals could be read by the Interrogators, forcing the information out of the person conscious or not.

There was something particular in this case though, the Interrogator was the size of a traditional earwig. The Interrogator crawled down Scarlet's arm, past her waist, across her leg, and finally scuttled across the floor to the opening in the pod.

Adara wondered if Miss Ruby was going to take over the boy's mind, as might be possible with an Interrogator. She didn't delude herself with the fantasy of Scarlet being a perfect savior, Adara had seen the woman kill a man right of front of her, but she also knew what most didn't, how Scarlet rarely killed anyone other than a rapist or murdered when she was drinking blood, and how she had protected Adara simply because she didn't want her hurt. She looked terrible on the outside because Scarlet never lied, she could be cruel and evil, but only because she though you deserved it.

That's why Adara loved Scarlet, and why she could never have dreamed of accepting the second option of leaving Scarlet for a 'better life,' which Scarlet always reminded the girl was there should she ever want the opportunity.

* * *

><p>Scarlet watched the Interrogator disappear into the pod, mild apprehension as to what she was doing—Match might not want this, but in that case, it could just as easily be undone. Casting away self-doubt Scarlet felt the Interrogator solidify into Match's mind and establish a connection with the vampire.<p>

The roar Match cast into her mind was deafening, and if Scarlet had any less self-control her hands would have thrown themselves across her ears as her face contorted in pain. Instead she stared into the glass, adapting her eyesight to be able to see through the opaque surface until she saw the calm face of Match as a battle went on in his head. Another ear-splitting roar reverberated in her skull, and Scarlet's patience ran out.

She instructed the Interrogator to fill in the DNA sequence gaps with her own. Match's second roar faded to the back of her mind as the boy's DNA was completed.

_What… Happened? _Match asked, though more to himself as he wasn't aware of Scarlet's presence in his head, yet.

_Your DNA is being reconstructed and your coherent brain is developing, _Scarlet told him.

_WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU IN MY HEAD? _He mentally shouted, at the same volume as his previous roar.

_I am Blood Ruby, I repaired your DNA, and maintained a presence in your mind so that you could get some explanations, _Scarlet replied calmly.

_Why would you do that? _He asked.

_Because I think you are worth more than to be stored away in a pod until Cadmus can find a way to dispose of you,_ Scarlet replied, she had expected these kind of questions, _Now, I have a question for you: What do you remember?_

_There was a boy, I fought him, he had Superman's sign, I was told to fight Superman, why did Cadmus lock me away? _He asked.

_Because people are fickle, _Scarlet informed him.

_My shield was taken so I carved one of my own onto my chest, but it was backwards,_ the dismay in Match was amplified through the telepathy, so Scarlet nurtured a bit and reassured him that it wasn't a problem.

_Yes, I can see. However I would let that worry you. Would you like to have your own life, where people won't imprison you for doing as you're told? _She pacified before she offered what she had intended to offer him: freedom.

_Yes, _Match thought, _I would._

_That's what I hoped you would want. The repairs to your DNA are not complete and will take a while to be ready for you to be able to leave. Are you alright with staying here a little longer? _Scarlet made sure to pose it as a question so Match would feel like it was his choice.

_What other choice do I have? _He commented dryly showing that the genomorphs taught him something before they gave up on the project. Thought how the information had stayed without a coherent mind was beyond Scarlet.

_A painful one, _Scarlet told him. If Match had insisted he be moved, there was a way to do it, but it would have been very painful.

_I'll stay, for now, _Match agreed.

_Good, that will be best for you. As will rest, I __**will **__be back so you have freedom, Match, _she promised.

_Don't call me that, it's what they called me, _he insisted.

_What should I call you? _Scarlet asked.

_I-I…don't know_, he responded.

_Sleep on it, _she suggested. Not long after she felt his presence in her mind drift as he fell into unconsciousness. Rewriting DNA was a draining process, the boy really did need his rest. It would take a few months at least for him to be able to leave the pod. Honestly, Scarlet had simply been astounded with the length of their conversation.

Once again pushing the button that controlled the pod, the small opening in the bottom of the case slid closed. This had certainly turned out better than expected. Scarlet smiled to herself, all the pieces were in place, now it was simply a matter of when to call checkmate and on which side.

The slightest pressure against her waist had Scarlet looking down to her left. The pressure had been the disturbed air after Adara had shivered in the cold of the underground.

"You could always tell me when you're cold," Scarlet reminded the small girl, putting her hand on black hair before the pair reappeared in the apartment in Metropolis.

Adara's cheeks dusted with red, both with the suddenly warmer area and with the embarrassment of being told. Scarlet let her fingers trail through the silky tresses smiling at the girl. Adara was the proof that there was still innocence in the world, despite what she may have seen, and Scarlet would go to hell and back to protect that which she had by her side.

"Would you like tea, Miss Ruby?" Adara asked looking up at the redhead.

"I would love some," Scarlet responded. The brunette disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

Scarlet thought back on the events of the day, from the meeting, to Adara, and then to Match—or whatever his final choice in title may be. The Light was going to give the Team a run for their money, that much was assured, but in the end…

One thing was sure, Scarlet smiled, this was going to be interesting.

**THE END**

**Thanks for reading to the end! I loved all the reviews and follow/favs!**

_***This is kind of long but please read it:**_

**I have officially finished 'The Only Secret Robin Every Kept From Batman' (Let's hope my title-naming skills improve soon), but I'll be going back and fixing the errors/changing the plot a little bit of the previous chapters, so if you get updates about new chapters that's why.**

**The overall plot won't be changing, but some things I have thought through could be improved and I would like to have this story as the best it can be.**

**I thank you all for reading, though I didn't have some parts that I would have enjoyed to have you read, I need to stop here because: **

**a. the episodes are making it very hard to hold OCs**

**and**

**b. there was never any place for those minuscule things.**

**Thanks again, and PLEASE, this is YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK, **

**REVIEW!**

**V**

**Okay I swear, my rabbit can speak! Or its way past bed-time (psh. Sleep is for the weak!) and her water-bottle was making odd noises while she drank.**

**I think it's the former though.**

**REVIEW!**


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